Omicron Variant Might Help Defend Against Delta

[brownelvis54]

Here we go. Try to be respectful. Just read the damn thing. Keep your political stuff to yourself. I have heard it all (mostly from people who don't work in the medical field) I do. I work for a hospital and have been around/taken care of many Covid patients.

I find this interesting.


Omicron Variant Might Help Defend Against Delta, Lab Study Suggests

People who have recovered from an infection with the new omicron coronavirus variant may be able to fend off later infections from the delta variant, according to a new laboratory study carried out by South African scientists.

If further experiments confirm these findings, they could suggest a less dire future for the pandemic. In the short term, omicron is expected to create a surge of cases that will put a massive strain on economies and health care systems around the world. But in the longer term, the new research suggests that an omicron-dominated world might experience fewer hospitalizations and deaths than one in which delta continues to rage

[brownelvis54]

Catching Omicron strain may protect against Delta and usher in endemic phase of Covid, study suggests
-Africa Health Research Institute said antibody levels spiked against the variants
-This may be due to Omicron infections rousing previous immunity from Covid
-Or it could be because antibodies against Omicron can also fight the Delta strain
-Scientists not involved in study said it was likely Delta was being outcompeted


Catching the Omicron variant of Covid may also help people fend off Delta, new research suggests.

Academics took blood samples from people struck down with the ultra-infectious variant and measured their antibody levels. They then looked at how well the virus-fighting proteins reacted to both Omicron and Delta.

Lab tests, conducted two weeks after patients joined the study, showed antibody levels spiked 14-fold in response to Omicron.



LINK TO ARTICLE


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10355617/Catching-Omicron-strain-protect-against-Delta-study-suggests.html




ALSO THIS ONE



https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/28/health/covid-omicron-antibodies-delta.html

[brownelvis54]

THIS IS HUGE!!

Omicron cannot escape T cells; boosters protect households from Omicron


Dec 29 (Reuters) - The following is a summary of some recent studies on COVID-19. They include research that warrants further study to corroborate the findings and that has yet to be certified by peer review.

Omicron cannot escape body's second-line defense

A key part of the immune system's second-line defense - its T cells - are highly effective at recognizing and attacking the Omicron variant, thereby preventing most infections from progressing to critical illness, a new study shows.

Omicron's mutations help it escape from antibodies, the body's first line of defense against infection. Researchers have speculated that other components of the immune response would still target Omicron, but there has been no proof until now.



LINK TO ARTICLE


https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/omicron-cannot-escape-t-cells-boosters-protect-households-omicron-2021-12-29/

[DaveBrown74]

I have seen much of this, and I will say that I am cautiously optimistic about the medium to longer term trajectory of this whole crisis from where we are today.

[MightyGiants]

I would be very very very careful to draw any sort of conclusion of the South African study that was referenced in the first two posts.  A study of 13 people (half of which were vaccinated and the other half likely had the Delta or original version) will produce results that one can draw meaningful conclusions at one's peril. 

We are seeing studies that show that Omicron is different enough so it's escaping the immunity protections of the original and Delta.   Intuitively it seems more likely that such a different virus is likely not to produce protection in reverse due to those same differences.   I would suggest waiting for bigger and better-done studies before drawing even a preliminary conclusion.


As to the T-cell study, that is potential good/welcome news, but I wouldn't characterize it as "big".  T-cell protection will help prevent severe disease, but it won't stop the spread or the possibility of more mutations

[DaveBrown74]

I think "cautiously optimistic" on a relative basis is a reasonable stance to have at this point. That does not mean anyone is popping corks, or saying this is "over", or suggesting that there won't be more difficult periods in the future. Nor is it drawing any "conclusion", preliminary or otherwise. It's a merely an acknowledgment that omicron seems significantly less virulent than other strains (as demonstrated by numerous other countries) combined with some initial hope that this strain may help with immunity against others'. I don't think it's jumping to conclusions nor is it a green light to go out and take silly risks.

[brownelvis54]

I would be very very very careful to draw any sort of conclusion of the South African study that was referenced in the first two posts.  A study of 13 people (half of which were vaccinated and the other half likely had the Delta or original version) will produce results that one can draw meaningful conclusions at one's peril. 

We are seeing studies that show that Omicron is different enough so it's escaping the immunity protections of the original and Delta.   Intuitively it seems more likely that such a different virus is likely not to produce protection in reverse due to those same differences.   I would suggest waiting for bigger and better-done studies before drawing even a preliminary conclusion.


As to the T-cell study, that is potential good/welcome news, but I wouldn't characterize it as "big".  T-cell protection will help prevent severe disease, but it won't stop the spread or the possibility of more mutations

Which I never said T cells will stop the spread of the virus never once did I say that. For me I work at a major Hospital I'm a thousand percent on the front lines T cells will keep people from getting very sick in my opinion that is a great thing.

[brownelvis54]

Omicron Cases Are Hitting Highs, But New Data Puts End in Sight


https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/omicron-cases-are-hitting-highs-but-new-data-puts-end-in-sight/ar-AASojua?ocid=msedgntp

[MightyGiants]

Omicron Cases Are Hitting Highs, But New Data Puts End in Sight


https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/omicron-cases-are-hitting-highs-but-new-data-puts-end-in-sight/ar-AASojua?ocid=msedgntp

Bob,

I have already been burned.  I was optimistic in May and June between the rising number of people getting vaccinated and the natural lull with airborne illness in the summer, that we were in the process of putting Covid in our rearview mirror.  Only Delta defied the summer lull, we reached a brick wall in terms of a substantial percentage of our population adamantly refusing vaccinations and then came Omicron. 

After being burned once, I am guarded in terms of any sort of optimism.  I am mindful that as long as millions of people around the planet are still being infected daily (1.36 million reported yesterday) there is a significant chance for a new and worse variant to develop.   At this point, I am adopting the football adage of taking it a day at a time.  Mask up, social distance, vaccinate and booster and hunker down and see what happens.   My personal expectation is due to the sharp nature of the Omicron outbreak it shouldn't last as long.  I am hopeful that around the end of this month cases should start to decline (hopefully sharply).   Beyond that, I don't want to venture a guess as much of the future is still up to chance or God's will (depending on your religious inclinations).

[brownelvis54]

Bob,

I have already been burned.  I was optimistic in May and June between the rising number of people getting vaccinated and the natural lull with airborne illness in the summer, that we were in the process of putting Covid in our rearview mirror.  Only Delta defied the summer lull, we reached a brick wall in terms of a substantial percentage of our population adamantly refusing vaccinations and then came Omicron. 

After being burned once, I am guarded in terms of any sort of optimism.  I am mindful that as long as millions of people around the planet are still being infected daily (1.36 million reported yesterday) there is a significant chance for a new and worse variant to develop.   At this point, I am adopting the football adage of taking it a day at a time.  Mask up, social distance, vaccinate and booster and hunker down and see what happens.   My personal expectation is due to the sharp nature of the Omicron outbreak it shouldn't last as long.  I am hopeful that around the end of this month cases should start to decline (hopefully sharply).   Beyond that, I don't want to venture a guess as much of the future is still up to chance or God's will (depending on your religious inclinations).

I get it. But without hope...what else do we got?

[DaveBrown74]

I get it. But without hope...what else do we got?

Our football team?

[MightyGiants]

Our football team?

Actually, that is what gets me through so much ugliness.   35 years as an EMT and working in jobs that were high stress and sometimes included risk, the thing that gets me through is a dark and irreverent sense of humor that I rarely share here on the board.   I found humor can be an effective shield over time.

[Blue4Life]

Our football team?

What, no sarcasm emoticon? 

If you've stated our hockey team, that would be understandable...