A new study in mice suggests that the Zika virus stimulates production of a chemical called TNF-alpha, which may weaken humans’ immune response to any vaccine. The researchers are optimistic about their findings and believe they could be used to design better vaccines against other infectious diseases such as measles or hepatitis.
According to laboratory tests conducted in South Africa that provide one of the first indications of vaccine effectiveness against the variant, the Omicron variant of coronavirus can partially evade vaccine protection, but scientists say the shots should still protect those inoculated from severe disease.
The blood of 12 persons vaccinated with the shot created by Pfizer Inc. and Germany’s BioNTech SA against the Omicron form was evaluated by scientists at the Africa Health Research Institute in South Africa to see how efficient it was at neutralizing the virus.
When compared to the original type of the virus, the vaccination only produced one-fifth of the infection-fighting antibodies against Omicron, according to the researchers. That’s a significant drop, but it doesn’t imply the variety can totally evade immunizations, according to Alex Sigal, the study’s lead virologist.
On a video chat with reporters, he added, “The vaccine takes a hit, but it’s not a whole new ballgame.” According to him, the results are preliminary, and estimates of efficacy may alter when more information becomes available. Other sorts of immune responses, which experts feel are important in determining vaccines’ overall efficacy against illness, were not studied in his team’s investigation.
The findings, which were released late Tuesday, came as government officials and scientists predicted that Omicron would become the dominant strain in parts of Europe within weeks, and other evidence from the United Kingdom and Norway suggested that vaccines could provide significant protection against severe illness caused by the variant.
Last month, students from Norway waited at Johannesburg airport to be tested for Covid-19 before boarding a trip to Amsterdam.
Associated Press photo by Jerome Delay
Government attempts to expand vaccination coverage and provide booster injections are expected to be bolstered by the findings.
“This variant’s escape is strong and widespread. “However, it isn’t comprehensive,” Mr. Sigal said. His team discovered that trial participants who had been completely vaccinated and had previously been infected with Covid-19 had higher anti-Omicron antibody responses. Those who haven’t been infected should be helped, he added.
“Those who haven’t got a booster should get one, and those who have been infected before should get vaccinated,” he added.
In the run-up to Christmas, the variation has prompted border restrictions all around the globe, raising fresh concerns about how quickly the world would be able to put the epidemic behind it. Omicron has been found in 19 states so far, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky, and the number is expected to rise.
The image emerging from laboratories in South Africa, the epicenter of the Omicron epidemic, and increasingly in Europe is that the variation is likely more transmissible than earlier forms of the virus, and that it may be able to bypass immunity from past infection or vaccination more readily. It shows dozens of mutations, some of which have been associated to quicker spread and others whose attributes are unclear.
Omicron, a Covid-19 variation with over 50 mutations that has been found in numerous countries after spreading in southern Africa, is being investigated by scientists and vaccine producers. As the United States and countries impose travel restrictions, here’s what we know. Fazry Ismail/EPA/Shutterstock photo
Scientists are investigating how the variation spreads so rapidly. According to public-health officials in the United Kingdom, evidence has been discovered that an illness may be passed on more quickly than with previous variations. According to Martin Hibberd, professor of emerging infectious diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a newly infected individual may seem to transfer the virus on to another host in as little as three days, compared to six days for older strains.
In nations where Omicron has been found, the majority of cases have been mild. Officials in Norway believe this is due to the fact that so many of the illnesses have occurred in persons who have been vaccinated. Many cases are only a few days old, and experts believe it’s too early to tell if the severity of sickness described represents a trait of Omicron or is a consequence of variables like immunization, past infection, or age.
“It looks that we are not seeing a particularly severe profile of illness with the patients that have been reported,” said Anthony Fauci, the Biden administration’s senior medical advisor. Mr. Fauci noted that the data was still early and that this might reflect the age of many of individuals confirmed to be afflicted.
On Monday, a lady was immunized in Johannesburg.
Shiraaz Mohamed/Associated Press photo
According to Luke O’Neill, chairman of biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin in Ireland, a forty-fold decrease in antibody neutralization is about what immunologists were anticipating, and it is a considerable drop-off. Nonetheless, he believes the data support the premise that although the immunizations may not prevent infection, they will likely minimize the chance of severe illness.
“That’s the general consensus: you should have enough protection to prevent serious or even mild disease: you could have some symptoms, a few individuals might even end up in the hospital, but most people should be able to go home.”
Pfizer’s CEO says he hopes to get Covid-19 under control by the middle of next year, according to the WSJ CEO Council Summit. The Wall Street Journal/Ralph Alswang photo
Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said at The Wall Street Journal’s CEO Council Summit conference on Tuesday that Omicron looks to be more infectious but causes less severe sickness. However, he emphasized that additional research is needed to be certain.
“I don’t believe having anything that spreads quickly is good news,” he remarked. “If it spreads quickly, it will affect billions of people, and another mutation may occur.” That’s something you don’t want.”
The United Kingdom’s Health Security Agency said Tuesday that it has documented 437 confirmed cases of Omicron in the nation, less than two weeks after the country’s first two cases were discovered. According to Francois Balloux, head of the Genetics Institute at University College London, and Neil Ferguson, professor of epidemiology at Imperial College, the number of Omicron cases in the United Kingdom is presently doubling every three days. According to Prof. Balloux, this means the variety might supplant the prevalent Delta strain as soon as next month.
Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Health, told legislators on Monday that none of those infected required medical care, despite the fact that this was before the recent spike in cases.
In Norway, 130 persons tested positive for Covid-19 at a premium restaurant where a business Christmas party was held on November 26. Authorities stated Tuesday that around 30 of the cases are confirmed Omicron infections, while the rest are suspected.
On Tuesday, people queued at a vaccination clinic in London.
Andy Rain/EPA/Shutterstock photo
That epidemic provided epidemiologists with an early, if anecdotal, look at how quickly the variation spreads among those who had been vaccinated. Despite the fact that none of them has been hospitalized after eleven days, Norwegian officials attribute this to the fact that only vaccinated staff were permitted to attend the celebration. According to Tine Ravlo, the head physician for Oslo’s Frogner district, some people are doing better and will be removed from isolation on Tuesday or Wednesday.
“They’re OK,” she said. The others experience very minor symptoms like as a cough, fever, or runny nose.
Nonetheless, Norway’s government has strengthened limitations, which the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the country’s disease-control agency, warned Tuesday would be essential until a clearer picture emerges.
Meanwhile, Norway said on Tuesday that the waiting period for booster injections has been decreased and that they are now available to people of all ages and occupations. The United Kingdom is being advised by a team of scientists. The government has advised that all people get booster doses as part of its immunization strategy.
In an email, Preben Aavitsland, senior physician at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, said, “We anticipate vaccinations to keep their efficacy in avoiding severe Covid-19 illness even though they may not prevent infections.” “However, prevention against serious illness is not guaranteed. When there is a lot of coronavirus in the population, severe cases will occur among the vaccinated elderly and unvaccinated middle-aged and old persons.”
“In a month or two, it will be the dominant strain in this nation and all of Europe (and America),” he said.
—This story was co-written by Brianna Abbott.
Jason Douglas and Drew Hinshaw can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected], respectively.
Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2021 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Watch This Video-
