The risk of re-infection from the Omicron mutation is 5.4 times higher than in the Delta, according to a new study from Imperial College, based on the data so far.
Also, the degree of protection against symptomatic infection from the variant after two doses of the vaccine is from 0% to 20% and after the booster dose from 55% to 80%.
In addition, people with coronavirus have only 19% protection against the new strain.
According to the research, the degree of protection is determined by the body, age and health problems.
However, the British scientists in their study also find that the new Omicron mutation does not appear to manifest with milder symptoms, as tends to prevail as a general assumption.
The model used by the research team at Imperial College London was based on relatively limited data on the Omicron mutation.
They point out that there is a high degree of uncertainty until more information is gathered from the “real world” about the new rapidly spreading variant.
Preliminary data from Imperial’s research show that there will be a reduction in the effectiveness of vaccines against Omicron.
Even with a booster dose, protection against serious illness against Omicron was estimated to be between 80% and 85.9%, compared with 97% for Delta vaccines.
However, there are other components of the immune system that can fight Covid, such as T-lymphocytes. This research could not assess their impact.
One of Imperial’s researchers, Professor Azra Ghani, told the BBC: “One of the elements of uncertainty that still exists is how severe the disease caused by Omicron will be compared to that caused by the other variants.
Although it will take several weeks for us to fully understand this, governments need to put in place plans to prevent any potential impact. “Our results demonstrate the importance of administering the booster dose as part of a broader health response.”
For his part, Dr Clive Dix, former head of the British Vaccination Committee, said: “There is a huge amount of uncertainty in these model estimates and we can only be sure of the effect of the third dose on Omicron extra month data coming from the real world. Data for hospital admissions, for ICU admissions, numbers and victims.
“The only sure thing is that we must be able to deliver vaccines – now and in the future – to the whole world.”
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