Another COVID-19 vaccine debate: Do we Need New Vaccines?
COVID-19 vaccines continue to save countless lives, but with
Omicron's rapid spread, many people are questioning if they'll need booster
shots every few months or if they'll need a new type of injection entirely.
COVID-19 immunizations have saved countless lives, but they
can't stop the havoc that ensues when a highly contagious new mutant emerges,
prompting the question: Will we need boosters every few months? Is there a new
vaccine formula? Is this an entirely new type of shot?
Why isn't immunity perfect?
Antibodies, which form after either vaccination or a
previous bout with COVID-19, are responsible for preventing infection. They are
ready to fight back the next time someone is exposed.
One issue is that mutations alter the look of the spike
protein that protects the coronavirus, similar to how a thief swap disguises to
avoid detection. That's why Omicron could get past the initial line of defense
more efficiently than previous variants: its spike coating was more difficult
for current antibodies to recognize.
It is crucial to take the third dose.
After a booster, protection against symptomatic omicron
illness is around 70%, which is lower than the 94 percent protection reported
with older variations that were more closely matched to the vaccination but
still very effective. Significantly, the booster boosted protection against
severe sickness much more.
Researchers are watching to see if infection-fighting
antibodies last longer after a third treatment, but those levels are bound to
drop at some time. The body's so-called memory cells can produce more the next
time they're needed.
Despite this, Israel is offering a fourth dose to select
people, including those aged 60 and up, and is considering giving all adults an
extra booster.
In the pipeline new approaches
Whatever happens with Omicron, the coronavirus is here to
stay, and the U.S. National Institutes of Health is investing $43 million in
research to develop "pan-coronavirus" vaccines that can defend
against many types. Nanoparticles containing bits of spike proteins from four
to eight different types of the virus, rather than the one kind used in today's
vaccines, are one potential.
Creating COVID-19 vaccines that can be squirted into the nose
to develop antibodies ready to combat the virus right where we first meet could
be a more direct method. Nasal vaccinations are more challenging to create than
injectable vaccines, although efforts are being made, including extensive
research disclosed by Bharat Biotech in India.
Protection is different in different parts of the world
The terrible truth that just 10% of people in low-income
nations have gotten at least one vaccine dose complicates any future change in
vaccine approach. Furthermore, new research suggests that some types of
vaccinations used worldwide tend to be simpler for Omicron to resist than
others, implying that booster methods may need to be adjusted.
Conclusion
Researchers from Yale University discovered no omicron-targeted antibodies in the blood of participants who received two doses of Sinovac's vaccine. Following those initial injections with a Pfizer booster shot — a different type of vaccination — helped, but not enough, only raising antibody levels to the level seen in Pfizer patients who didn't get a booster shot.
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