Thread by @WesElyMD

1/🧵 95% COVID Immunity⁉️

@JAMA_current data show that in Dec 2021, 95% of US Blood Donors had Immunity from infection or vaccination.🧐
 
Then why do we have record high rates of #Omicron?
 
Does that mean we should have herd immunity?
 
Not so fast…
 
bit.ly/3n2o5HD

2/ First, we make estimates using a combination of the COVID spike Ab & nucleocapsid Ab to determine what proportion of our population is protected at a given time.

ie, either previous infection (nucleocapsid) or vaccination (spike Ab) or combined Infection & vaccination.

3/ But if there was 95% immunity in 2021, how did #Omicron go bonkers infecting so many in 2022?
 
The infection rates reflect #Evolution. The I ntense contagiousness of this variant & enhanced immune escape mutations plus waning protection from previous vaccination & infection.

4/ Every study has limitations & two here include the obvious selection bias based on who decides to donate blood & kids. While there is a wide swath of the population who donates, maybe it’s not representative of the general population. Also, kids here were excluded.

5/fin
Take Home: #Impermanence
 
Don’t get complacent.

Good immunity on an individual or societal level today will NOT be enough to hold off the next variant AND we must accept that #boosters & #masks are a new way of life for us if we want to stay safe & not get #LongCOVID.