BackOmicron doesn’t protect from reinfection, expert busts myth
Your mild case of Omicron isn’t a good guarantee of high protection. You may have some, but not a guarantee, he said
PremiumDispelling myths, epidemiologist and health economist Eric Feigl-Ding said Omicron doesn’t protect from reinfection risks adding ‘it may not be sufficient to prevent infection from another, more pathogenic variant, should it emerge in the future.’
Delta protects more but it is risky too
Quoting a recent study, the expert pointed out immunity based upon “mild" Omicron infection is weak for Omicron reinfection. “That said, Delta variant infection seemed to protect more."
But Delta is risky too. So unless you had a severe infection of either (don’t risk it), your mild case of Omicron isn’t a good guarantee of high protection. You may have some, but not a guarantee.
Vaccinated individuals who had Omicron have enhanced immunity
However, pointing to another study he said that vaccinated individuals who had been infected by Omicron are likely to have enhanced immunity.
While individuals infected with Delta are at risk to develop severe lung disease, Omicron infection causes less severe disease, mostly upper respiratory symptoms. The question arises whether rampant spread of Omicron could lead to mass immunization, accelerating the end of the pandemic, the study said adding, “…our results indicate that Omicron infection enhances preexisting immunity elicited by vaccines, but on its own may not induce broad, cross-neutralizing humoral immunity in unvaccinated individuals."
There is GOOD NEWS—“Analysis of human sera from Omicron and Delta breakthrough cases reveals effective cross-variant neutralization induced by both viruses in vaccinated individuals," he said in a tweet.
However—“results indicate that Omicron infection enhances preexisting immunity elicited by vaccines, but on its own may not induce broad, cross-neutralizing humoral immunity in unvaccinated individuals, he added.
Don’t risk Omicron if unvaccinated.
He further asserted, “This supports earlier CDC studies that show vaccine based immunity also seem much better generally against hospitalizations—by huge 5x. Don’t risk COVID just for partial immunity, especially if unvaccinated."
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