The Omigron variant enhances protection against delta

A new scientific study conducted in South Africa says that the arrival of the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 will be good news for the world. It has a high immunity against infections caused by its predecessor Delta.

Teacher-directed work Alex Siegel, virologist at the African Health Research Institute in Durban, South Africa Not yet reviewed, but sent to print before science reservoir medRxiv. The medical institution where the analysis was carried out is dedicated to regulatory and independent scientific research.

According to The African Health Research Institute published on its own website The research team included 15 previously vaccinated and non-vaccinated people affected by the Omigron variant.. In a laboratory called the ‘neutralization’ test, blood product plasma containing antibodies from participants was used to test the ability of antibodies to monitor both Omigron and Delta. They measured this when participants had symptoms and then again two weeks later.

“As expected, the results show a developing antibody response to Omigran 14-fold increase in neutralization at this time. But despite that, The team also observed that with a 4.4-fold increase in delta neutralization, participants developed some enhanced immunity against delta variation. The researchers also showed that vaccinated participants were able to mount a better neutralizing response against delta, while the response of non-vaccinated participants varied greatly.e.

Professor Siegel noted that “increased neutralization of the delta variant in omigron-affected individuals may reduce Delta’s ability to re-affect those individuals.” The scientist highlighted the importance of the results of this study, “If Ómicron becomes less pathogenic, it may indicate a change in the course of the infection: Ómicron responsible, At least for now And there may be less interruptions in our lives. “

About A laboratory study does not allow its model hypothesis to be fully confirmed, But if other research confirms it, it could suggest a more promising future around the epidemic. The variability seen in South Africa at the end of November is expanding exponentially around the world, creating new waves of epidemics in the United States, Europe and Latin America.

In the short term, this increase will put more stress on the health system, not more in the intensive care units (ICUs) in regions with higher vaccination rates, but in primary care conditions at any stage. But in the long run, a world dominated by Omicron, Delta may experience fewer hospitalizations and deaths than one that continues to advance, new research suggests..

“Omigron is likely to expel the delta,” Siegel added. “Taking delta out can be a good thing, and we’re looking for something that is easier for us to live with and less disruptive than previous types.”

Such as independent scientists Carl Pearson, Epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, They said the study results were strong. These are discoveries similar to what is happening in the UK right now. “Omigron is coming and growing faster, and the delta trend is declining”, he said.

Yale School of Public Health Nathan Grobock, an epidemiologistHe said he follows the same pattern in Connecticut. “We see omigran increasing exponentially as delta cases decrease,” he said. “This suggests to me that Omigron competes with Delta for vulnerable individuals, then affects them less to Delta and reduces delta cases.”

When people began to be infected with the corona virus two years ago, they developed antibodies and immune cells that could provide protection against SARS-CoV-2. As a result, it is very rare for a person to become infected again in the following months. But from In late 2020, new variants of the corona virus appeared. Some of them, like the alpha, had mutations that allowed them to spread rapidly. Others, such as beta, had adaptations that allowed them to avoid antibodies produced during a previous infection or in response to the Covit-19 vaccine.

Delta, It became popular in the summer of 2021, It had mutations that gave it better ability to spread and moderate ability to avoid antibodies. Vaccines were still effective against delta, but they were not as effective against infections as they had been before.

When Omigron appeared in November, and it spread faster than Delta. It was somehow able to spread quickly, perhaps by copying in large numbers or easily spreading from person to person. Ómicron was able to infect people who had been vaccinated and those who had been infected with previous variants.

In Previous study, Last December, Drs. Sigil’s team and several research groups have confirmed the ability of Ómicron to exclude antibodies from previous vaccines and variants. To do this, they analyzed the blood of vaccinated or COVID-19 survivors and mixed it with different strains.

Again, The most potent antibodies against delta and other types do not act against omigran. Although smaller than delta infections, it helped explain why many of those who have been vaccinated and who have been infected in the past have had Omigran episodes.

In their new study, Drs. Sikal and his colleagues did the same experiment, but this time to those who survived the Omigran infection. Although South Africa has now seen a large increase in Omigron cases, a team of South African scientists has so far been able to study only 13 patients.

“It was very difficult because of the holiday season,” Sigal explained. “No one really wants to be a part of the stay course.”

According to the study, Seven of the intervening patients were vaccinated and six were not vaccinated. Scientists It has not been determined which volunteers have previously been affected by other types of COVID-19. But since most South Africans had COVID-19 before Ómicron, most volunteers were not initially infected with Ómicron. The researchers found that patients’ blood was high in potent antibodies against omigran. But those antibodies were also effective against Delta.

This is important because the group’s study earlier this month showed that the opposite was not possible: the antibodies produced after the delta infection provided little protection against omigran.

The last of the diagnosed variants will leave people with immunity not only to the same mutation, but also to the delta, Drs. Sikal considered. This means that people affected by delta are less likely to transmit the virus to others. At the same time, Ómicron easily affects those recovering from the delta. That competitive advantage could spell Delta’s decision.

Although these are encouraging results and applicable in many cases, larger studies are needed than have been done on 13 people in South Africa. Furthermore, Dr. Sigal could not explain what effect Ómicron provided against Delta, he agreed. The antibodies it produces can act very broadly against other types.

Alternatively, more Omigran infections may simply have raised immunity in volunteers who have been vaccinated or given previous infections. If that is true, we must first see what happens to those who are not vaccinated against Omicron disease. This could happen in the coming weeks, especially in countries like the United States, where there are large sections of the population who are opposed to getting vaccinated.

Even if the delta disappears, it does not mean that ஒரேmicron is the only variant of SARS-CoV-2, because once people become immune to Ómicron, LNatural selection is favorable for mutations that create new variants that can bypass this immunity.

Dr. Pearson said he could predict Three different futures.

1- It Covid-19 represents fever, Year after year, with more seasonal variation than ever before.

2- That The Govit-19 represents dengue fever, Many variants that work together to avoid different antibodies.

3- Finally, it would be highly desirable for everyone: A variant succeeds and becomes an easily preventable pathogen. But unfortunately, the expert considered this to be a very rare situation.

Read on