Will COVID-19 vaccines stand the test of Omicron?
In the short time since the emergence of Omicron, the latest SARS-CoV-2 variant, many questions have arisen. Is it more transmissible, how bad are the symptoms, and most importantly, will the vaccines protect against it? Until more data are available, there are no firm answers, but many are optimistic that vaccines offer at least some protection. Medical News Today investigated the current hypotheses.
Can COVID-19 vaccines stand up to the Omicron variant? Here is what we know so far. Image credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images.
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The rapid development of vaccines gave hope that the COVID-19 pandemic might soon be under control. In many countries, as the vaccines were rolled out, the virus abated. Hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 reducedTrusted Source in countries with widespread vaccine coverage.
Then came the Omicron variantTrusted Source of SARS-CoV-2. This new variant of concern, whose scientific name is B.1.1.529, was first identified in South Africa, though it may have originated in Europe, according to data from the Netherlands.
Omicron is now spreading in several countries. A study, which was conducted in South Africa and released last week but has yet to be peer reviewed, suggests that Omicron can evade immune defenses, leading to reinfection in people who have recovered from COVID-19.
These findings add to concerns that the COVID-19 vaccines authorized in most countries may not be effective against the Omicron variant.
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