Epidemiological data from South Africa shows a 3-fold increase in risk for reinfection due to Omicron vs. Beta and Delta. These findings provide epidemiological evidence for Omicron’s ability to evade immunity from prior infection.
NOTE: This is from PREVIOUS INFECTION, NOT VACCINE INDUCED IMMUNITY. Vaccinated individuals are significantly better protected from illness, hospitalization, AND death due to COVID-19 compared to unvaccinated individuals in regards to other variants and we will likely see this
with regards to Omicron. PLEASE, if you have not gotten vaccinated yet, do so. If you are eligible for a booster, please DO NOT wait for a variant specific booster.
Regarding the 1st case of Omicron in the U.S. What do you need to know?
•California (San Francisco)
•Returned from South Africa on November 22nd
•Fully VACCINATED
•MILD symptoms that are IMPROVING
•Self-quarantining, all close contacts have tested NEGATIVE
Get vaccinated.
NOTE: This individual was NOT boosted.
Figured I would put this out there now because you’re not going to find too many media outlets giving you much information at the moment unfortunately.
An official speaking on behalf of the World Health Organization has said most Omicron cases are 'mild' and there's no evidence to suggest vaccines may be less effective against the variant but did say some mutations of the virus indicate an increased risk of quicker transmission.
The World Health Organization has also urged countries to apply "an evidence-informed and risk-based approach" to travel measures, saying blanket bans will not prevent the spread of the new Omicron COVID variant. Please, when you can, if you have not already, get vaccinated.
A top official in Botswana's health ministry said on Tuesday that 16 out of the 19 cases of the Omicron variant detected in the country were asymptomatic. You can read more here: news.sky.com/story/covid-19…
PRELIMINARY DATA but good news for your afternoon! Pfizer vaccine’s is only SLIGHTLY less effective in preventing infection with Omicron than with Delta- 90% as opposed to 95%- while it is AS EFFECTIVE in preventing serious symptoms- around 93% – at least for those boosted!
There are indications that individuals fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, within six months or with the booster, are also protected against the Omicron variant, Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said Tuesday, after another two cases of individuals infected with the variant
were identified, bringing the total to four. “In the coming days we will have more accurate information about the efficacy of the vaccine against Omicron but there is already room for optimism, and there are initial indications that those who are vaccinated with a vaccine STILL
Some things to please keep in mind today:
•There is NO data available yet regarding vaccine efficacy and Omicron. What you are hearing is speculation right now. That’s it.
•Breakthrough infections DO NOT mean vaccines “don’t work.”
•DO NOT wait for variant specific boosters-
to get boosted. If you are eligible, GET IT.
•If your vaccine is preventing you from facing severe disease and worse, it is doing EXACTLY what it was designed to do.
•Antibodies are only ONE part of your immune response.
•Yes, the vaccines will likely take a hit in regards-
to nAbs. Does that mean they are rendered useless? NO! They take a hit with every variant in regards to protection vs. infection, not severe disease, this will likely be no different.
•Know what not only restores that protection vs. infection but EXCEEDS it? BOOSTERS.
There is NO evidence to suggest that Omicrom will set us back to square one.
We have tests that will detect this.
We have therapies.
We have vaccines.
This is NOT March 2020.
Get vaccinated. Get the world vaccinated. Get boosted. It not only restores, it exceeds.
*Omicron. I HATE autocorrect. It’s early. Please excuse me.
We are lucky in the sense that it is relatively easy to detect Omicron. It can be detected with a PCR assay, without the need for extensive genome sequencing. This IS a good thing.
“The new Omicron variant of the Coronavirus results in MILD disease, WITHOUT prominent symptoms.” -Angelique Coetzee, the chairwoman of the South African Medical Association.
"It presents mild disease with symptoms being sore muscles and tiredness for a day or two not feeling well. So far, we have detected that those infected do not suffer loss of taste or smell. They might have a slight cough. There are no prominent symptoms. Of those infected some
are currently being treated at home.” Hospitals have NOT been overburdened by Omicron patients and the new strain has not been detected in vaccinated individuals there. We know those vaccinated from other countries infected have been mild or asymptomatic. timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-…