New Omicron Subvariants , Overcome Vaccination,
Prior Infections, , New Study Shows.
Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 were the focus of the new study conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School.
The study was published in the
'New England Journal of Medicine' on June 22.
We observed 3-fold reductions of neutralizing antibody titers induced by vaccination and infection against BA.4 and BA.5 compared with BA.1 and BA.2, , Dr. Dan Barouch, Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center, via CNN.
... which are already substantially lower than the original
COVID-19 variants, Dr. Dan Barouch, Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center, via CNN.
Our data suggest that these new Omicron subvariants will likely be able to lead to surges of infections in populations with high levels of vaccine immunity.., Dr. Dan Barouch, Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center, via CNN.
... as well as natural BA.1 and
BA.2 immunity, Dr. Dan Barouch, Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center, via CNN.
According to CNN, vaccine manufacturers are already devising new forms of their vaccines to combat the changing nature of the virus.
The silver lining of the study is that
the authors say current vaccines provide
"substantial protection" from severe disease.
However, it is likely that vaccine immunity will still provide substantial protection against severe disease with BA.4 and BA.5, Dr. Dan Barouch, Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center, via CNN.
The study authors also cautioned against a false sense of security regarding the ever-mutating COVID virus.
Our data suggest that COVID-19 still has the capacity to mutate further, resulting in increased transmissibility and increased antibody escape, Dr. Dan Barouch, Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center, via CNN.
As pandemic restrictions are lifted, it is important that we remain vigilant and keep studying new variants and subvariants as they emerge, Dr. Dan Barouch, Beth Israel Deaconess
Medical Center, via CNN.
Experts say that with an explosion of cases on the horizon, the protections already in place could mitigate severe disease
