A report out of South Africa offered a first glimpse at how vaccinated people might fare against the fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus.Laboratory experiments found that Omicron seems to dull the power of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, but also hinted that people who have received a booster shot might be better protected.The study, published online on Tuesday, found that antibodies produced by vaccinated people were much less successful at keeping the Omicron variant from infecting cells than other forms of the coronavirus.Scientists said the results were somewhat worrisome, but no cause for panic. The data suggests that vaccinated people might be vulnerable to breakthrough infections with Omicron, which is spreading rapidly in South Africa and has appeared in dozens of countries around the world.But vaccines stimulate a wide-ranging immune response that involves more than just antibodies. So these experiments offer an incomplete picture of how well the vaccine protects against hospitalization or death from Omicron.“While I think there’s going to be a lot of infection, I’m not sure this is going to translate into systems collapsing,” Alex Sigal, a virologist at the Africa Health Research Institute in Durban, South Africa, who led the research, said in an interview. “My guess is that it’ll be under control.”Dr. Sigal and his colleagues worked at breakneck speed over the past two weeks to grow the virus and then test antibodies against it. “If I don’t die from the virus, I’ll die of exhaustion,” he said.Originally, Dr. Sigal feared that vaccines might not provide any protection at all. It was possible that the Omicron variant had evolved a new way of entering cells, which would have rendered antibodies from vaccines useless. “Then all our efforts would be trash,” he said.Fortunately, that proved not to be the case.Dr. Sigal and his colleagues used antibodies from six people who received the Pfizer vaccine without ever having had Covid-19. They also analyzed antibodies from six other people who had been infected before getting the Pfizer vaccine.The researchers found that the antibodies from all of the volunteers performed worse against Omicron than they did against an earlier version of the coronavirus. Overall, their antibodies’ potency against Omicron dropped dramatically, to about one-fortieth of the level seen when tested with an earlier version of the virus. That low level of antibodies may not protect against breakthrough Omicron infections.Theodora Hatziioannou, a virologist at Rockefeller University who was not involved in the research, said that number was not surprising. “It’s more or less what we expected,” she said.The results could help explain some high-profile superspreading events caused by Omicron. At an office Christmas party in Norway, the virus seems to have infected at least half of 120 vaccinated attendees.Dr. Sigal announced the results on Twitter Tuesday afternoon.His team found a distinct difference between the two sets of volunteers. The antibodies from the six uninfected vaccinated people were very weak against Omicron. But among the volunteers who had Covid-19 before vaccination, five out of six still produced fairly potent responses.The Coronavirus Pandemic: Key Things to Know
Card 1 of 4The Omicron variant.The latest Covid-19 variant has been detected in dozens of countries, including the U.S. It seems to spread rapidly, but it may be less severe than other forms of the virus. As experts race to learn more, here’s a look at four big questions about Omicron and what we know so far.Travel restrictions and lockdowns.The U.S. is requiring international travelers to provide proof of a negative test taken no more than a day before their flights. In Europe, where Germany has already announced tough restrictions on unvaccinated people, worries of new lockdowns loom.New York City’s new mandate.Mayor Bill de Blasio announced a sweeping vaccine mandate for all private employers in New York City to combat the spread of the Omicron variant. It is unclear if the incoming mayor, Eric Adams, intends to enforce the mandate.New Covid treatments.Two Covid-19 pills, by Merck and Pfizer, should be available soon. These new treatment options may be just the beginning: Scientists say we will need an arsenal of drugs to deploy against new variants — especially if those foes erode the protection of existing vaccines.One reason for the difference is that people who are vaccinated after an infection produce higher levels of antibodies than do people who were not infected.Dr. Sigal said the experiments will not be able to say much about how well boosters protect against Omicron until researchers directly test antibodies from people who have receivedBy: Carl Zimmer and Benjamin Mueller
Title: Pfizer’s vaccine provides some protection against Omicron, a lab study suggests.
Sourced From: www.nytimes.com/2021/12/07/health/omicron-variant-pfizer-vaccine.html
Published Date: Wed, 08 Dec 2021 00:37:10 +0000
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