A study revealed by research scientists from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) has highlighted that the new variants of Omicron may more frequently evade the immune protection from vaccination or prior infection and may be more transmissible than its previously existing variants.
A recently published study in the New England Journal of Medicine, by the research scientists in Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) in Israel, found out that the newer sub-variants of Omicron are fully capable of escaping the clutches of antibodies that neutralize by both prior infection and vaccination.
The researchers assessed the responses of antibodies to multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants of Omicron in 12 boosted and vaccinated individuals and 27 individuals who suffered from COVID-19 previously but survived it. Upon assessment, it was discovered that three sub-variants namely BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5 were successful in evading the neutralizing antibodies stimulated by both the previous infection and the vaccination.
As outlined in the study, the antibody responses to BA.4 and BA. 5 were 20 times low than the original WA1/2020 strain and were 3 times lower than the Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 variants.
This study provides an immunological basis for the recent surge in the Covid infections spreading among the population, even with high rates of vaccination dosage and proper maintenance of COVID-19 protocols such as masking and sanitizing.
The senior author of this study and the director of the Center for Vaccine and Virology Research at BIDMC, Dan H Barouch stated that the variants are continuously evolving and that this continues to have serious public health implications.
With the rise of Covid infections again, health authorities of various countries have started adhering to strict Covid protocols and rigorous testing, tracking, and treatment. In India, ahead of the festive seasons, some states have assessed the possibility of mass gatherings that have been strictly ordered by the Union Health Ministry to maintain all the necessary rules.
In a letter to the health officials of most of the states, the Union Health Secretary has ordered to focus on the five-fold strategy of testing, tracking, treating, vaccinating, and following all the covid protocols properly.
