Omicron variant: Rapid and further infection is not uncommon. Scientists now also name important protective combination.
The omicron variant of the corona virus still causes high numbers of infections. Anyone who is currently feeling unwell should pay attention to the first signs. As echo24.de* reported the incubation period plays a crucial role with Omikron*. As experts are now explaining, past infection is no protection. There are special factors that determine how often and how quickly you can catch the virus again.
According to a Focus report, with 3.5 million active cases, the number of infections is higher than ever in the pandemic. For better protection against omicrons in particular, numerous pharmaceutical companies are now increasingly relying on production special vaccines against the corona variant – but criticism comes from the ranks of the researchers *. Results are still pending. And now an expert has explained the inadequate protective effect of a corona infection against the omicron variant. The recovered status is therefore not sufficient.
Omicron: Older infection does not protect – expert explains reason
In a report by daily News Carsten Watzl, Secretary General of the German Society for Immunology, is quoted as saying: “But just as the vaccines, which are based on the original virus, do not protect so well against omicron, an infection with an earlier variant does not protect so well either against Omicron.”
Virologist Christian Drosten goes in one NDRPodcast even assumes that an omicron infection does not protect against renewed infection with the corona variant. Unvaccinated people in particular are therefore at an increased risk of recurrence.
Alpha and Delta Infection: With Omicron only 20 percent protection
As Carsten Watzl, Secretary General of the German Society for Immunology, im daily Newsreport explains that after an infection, protection was assumed that “Compared to a vaccination, it’s still about 80 percent and that for a decent period of about nine to ten months” stops.
Watzl is now commenting on the current status with the omicron variant of the corona virus. According to the article, he sees a sharp drop in the protective effect of previous infections when he comes into contact with Omikron – especially with the Delta and Alpha variants. They therefore only protect 20 to a maximum of 40 percent against infection with the current variant.
Factors responsible for omicron re-infection
Experts assume certain factors that are responsible for how often and how quickly you can get Omikron again. That Robert Koch Institute (RKI) mentions key points:
- age
- the severity of the disease
- the respective corona variant
- vaccinations already received
According to the experts’ knowledge, the risk of a renewed omicron infection depends on how severe the first infection with the virus was. According to Tagesschau, the scientists assume “that in the case of an infection, the strength of the immune response correlates with the strength of the symptoms: the milder the course, the fewer antibodies form, or the faster they break down again”. The immunity against further infection is lost.
Mild progression at Omicron is a problem
It is always heard that the course of an omicron infection is significantly milder than that of alpha or delta. And here’s the problem. As a rule, fewer antibodies are formed. In addition, Watzl speaks in the Tagesschau article about the fact that “two variants of omicron are in circulation”.
Carsten Watzl: “And these two are obviously different enough that we can also get infected with both in quick succession.” As the RKI recently reported, it is Omicron variant BA.2* dominant in Germany. It accounts for 81 percent of new infections. As a result, the BA.1 variant is being pushed further and further afield. The difference: The new Omikron shape can probably be even lighter “penetrate the cells of the upper respiratory tract and multiply there”.
That’s how quickly you can get infected again with omicron
There is currently no precise information about the period of time in which an omicron reinfection can occur. According to a study from South Africa, however, the Focus article reports that infected children are already infected “were infected again within 30 days after having tested negative in the meantime”.
A study from Austria also shows that an omicron infection can not only result in rapid re-infection, the immune system can also do almost nothing against other variants of the corona virus afterwards.
Omicron protection: Experts name the optimal combination
Opposite of time (Article behind payment barrier), Christine Falk, Head of the Institute for Transplantation Immunology at the Hannover Medical School and President of the German Society for Immunology, talks about the results of the study from Austria. For Falk, too, a first corona infection with the omicron variant is extremely unfavorable for those affected.
According to a group of Munich virologists, the “Three times contact‘ with the spike protein. According to the Focus report, the scientists found in a study that “a good immune response against all previous corona variants including omicron” can be built. Triple vaccination or a combination of vaccination and infection – it doesn’t matter how. *echo24.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
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