Indian virologists say their research shows that people who have contracted the Omicron version of COVID-19 – even unrelated individuals – have a “substantial immune response” to other variants, such as Delta is shown.
A study conducted by scientists from the National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune states that based on the high level of neutralizing antibodies shown by such individuals, it can be assumed that they are infected with delta and other types of anxiety (VOCs). ) will not be infected. ,
Omicron, which was first reported in South Africa in November, is now the major strain of COVID-19 globally and the most transmissible variant to date.
The study included 39 individuals who had returned mainly from the United Arab Emirates, Africa, West Asia, the Americas and the UK. Of these, six were not vaccinated. All of them were confirmed as Omicron positive by next generation sequencing.
The participants were divided into three categories – those with success infection following two doses of CovShield vaccines (25 individuals), those vaccinated with Pfizer’s vaccine (eight), and unvaccinated individuals (six).
The researchers analyzed IgG and neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against B.1, Alpha, Beta, Delta and Omicron variants with sera from individuals infected with Omicron.
They were kept in isolation as per government guidelines and all were asymptomatic.
“The main message is that if a person is vaccinated and becomes infected with Omicron, he will not get serious illness. Secondly, people who have naturally contracted Omicron and without vaccination or success cases, they had good immune response (against delta and other variants,” said Dr Pragya Yadav, senior scientist at NIV, Pune.
The study was conducted during January this year and is now published in the latest issue of the Journal of Infection. It was funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). To be sure, the researchers emphasize that regardless of the results of this study, people should not downplay their defenses against COVID-19, and continue to take all precautions.
Since January 2022, India has seen a sudden increase in Omicron infections. According to experts, COVID-19 vaccines still show strong protection against serious illness and death, including those from Omicron.
Top Indian experts managing the national COVID-19 vaccination program are working with experts from other countries in a global effort to create a comprehensive training program on vaccinology.
India launched its massive COVID-19 vaccination campaign in January 2021. Currently, all adults and children aged 12-14 are eligible for the vaccine. India is also setting up a cadre of frontline epidemiologists to combat future pandemics.
So far, India has detected over 49 million cases with 520,000 deaths. More than 1.85 billion vaccine doses have been given so far under the nationwide immunization campaign.
The author is on a press tour as a guest of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
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