Columbia University scientists discovered that COVID-19 Omicron has a remarkable resistance to vaccines. They also found that boosters might not offer adequate protection. This is just after the US incidences of this variant increased by 32 percent in the past 24 hours.
In a study published Wednesday by Dr. David Ho and 20 other researchers, the scientists discovered that Omicron’s ‘extensive’ mutations can ‘greatly compromise’ all major COVID-19 vaccines – Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca – even neutralizing them.
It was also revealed that booster shots offer an additional level of protection. However, this variant can pose a threat to those who take the third shot.
Scientists wrote that these findings were consistent with new clinical data concerning Omicron variants, which show higher rates of vaccine success and reinfection.
“Even the third booster shot might not be enough to protect against Omicron infections.”
Columbia researchers found that all four major COVID-19 vaccines (L-R) Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and AstraZenca failed to consistently provide adequate protection against the Omicron variant. Sometimes booster shots protection was just below the acceptance threshold.
Health officials and experts warn that COVID-19 case numbers will rise in the next few weeks.
Study of the Omicron Variant vaccine effectiveness was done. There were several cases in which they did not provide sufficient protection.
While the booster shots proved to be overall consistent, some recorded instanced put it right at the threshold of actually being effective.
Columbia University Professor David Ho
Ho along with Columbia’s research team who collaborated with University of Hong Kong said the study gives a dire warning regarding the future of COVID, and other variants.
It is possible to imagine that it could be done. [COVID-19]Researchers wrote that the researcher is only one mutation away from becoming pan-resistant against current antibodies.
“We need to devise strategies that predict the evolution of the virus’s path and create agents that target more conserved viruses.”
As confirmed Omicron cases rose by three-quarters overnight from 241 Wednesday to 319 Thursday, the warning came at a time when those numbers had jumped another third. Experts warn that these are just the beginning of Omicron cases in America, with many more likely to be reported.
Scientists have warned that COVID variants might soon threaten current immunities and vaccines
White House COVID Tar Dr. Anthony Fauci even commented on the variant’s ‘extraordinary’ ability to spread. He then revealed that cases would double in three days.
New York’s number of individuals testing positive for HIV has also doubled within three days. From 3.9 percent of all tests coming back positive on December 9, up to 7.8 percent on December 12, it was at the highest level since December 12. New York has more than 4/5ths population.
Jay Varman (a Cornell epidemiology professor and senior advisor in public health for Bill de Blasio) tweeted this news: “Um, this is something we have never seen before in NYC.” Three days later, test positivity doubles.
New Yorkers make up 81%, 18.5 percent have their booster shots and 81% are currently fully-vaccinated. However, Columbia University’s worrying study shows that these two may not be enough in order to prevent Omicron.
Omicron, Delta, and regular flu infection could all be possible this winter according to Immunologists. DailyMail.com spoke to two physicians who suggested that anyone not having a booster shot for flu should reconsider returning to the Spring 2020-style isolation. That was during which COVID’s Alpha version raged throughout the US. No vaccines were made.
Good Morning America was told Thursday by Dr Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease expert. He said Omicron transmits extremely efficiently and current outbreaks abroad are indicative of future events for the U.S.
Fauci, who spoke on Good Morning America this Thursday, confirmed that Omicron would be America’s dominant Covid strain within weeks.
He stated, “Certainly.” [Omicron]We are seeing it in other countries [is that it spreads faster than other variants]I hope that our country will be able to do so soon,
It has an amazing ability to spread and transmit information efficiently. You can double the time it takes to multiply your message in three days.
“And, you can do the math and if only a few percent of isolates are Omicron it will very quickly be the dominant variant. It’s something we have seen in South Africa and it’s happening in the U.K., so I am certain this is what we will soon see here.
A three-day doubling period is slightly slower than the 2.5 day reported by British or South African health authorities. The UK had its second consecutive day of record infection on Thursday with 88,376 infections, 24 hours after Wednesday’s total at 78,610. It’s a 74% increase in infection in just one week. There have been 15 Omicron cases in Britain.
The US is significantly larger than the UK and South Africa, but its vast majority of land mass is not as densely populated.
Omicron may be the source of as high as 13% of New Jersey and New York’s new diagnosis. These states have large populations, so it is possible that Omicron will give us a taste of what might come next.
Fauci urges Americans to continue to have their vaccines and be given booster shots to help them protect against this virus. This is especially important now that Omicron has been discovered. The booster shot has been administered to 16.5 percent of Americans so far.
He stated, “We must do all that we’ve been discussing up until now and more,”
He spoke hours after the CDC agency released forecasts on Wednesday night showing that weekly Covid cases will increase by 55 percent to 1.3 million per week – or 185,714 per day – by Christmas.
Also, it predicted that deaths would rise by 73 per cent to 15600 per day in January (or 2,228 death per day).
The predicted surge in cases is starting to show up across the country. Florida saw 6,381 new cases last Thursday, the highest single day Covid growth since September.
The Delta strain of Covid is still the predominant in America, with around 97% of all sequenced cases. Omicron is gaining ground quickly, however, as the recently discovered variant jumped sevenfold from 0.4 percent to 2.9% of all cases in a matter of weeks, according to the latest CDC data.
These graphs display the levels of coronavirus in lung cells and bronchial cells 24 hours and 48 hours following contact with Omicron, Delta and Omicron strains of virus. There was 70 times more Omicron recorded in the bronchus — the main pipe connecting the airways and lungs — compared to previous strains, but 10 times less virus in the lungs when compared to the original version and Delta. This suggests that the virus may be more easily transmitted, but can cause less serious illness. Experts at the University of Hong Kong agreed.
Lori Tremmel Freeman (chief executive officer of National Association of County and City Health Officials) has warned of a horrible scenario where Delta and Omicron could be combined to bring down US hospitals struggling to deal with an influx of people.
CNN spoke to her: “It’s all the combinations. The perfect storm of public and private health impacts is here, as Delta has already had an adverse impact in many jurisdictions across the country. We do not want to overload systems.
Early data also shows that people who are only fully vaccinated, but have not yet received their booster, are still extremely vulnerable to the virus, with Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose shot offering effectively no protection.
Moderna, Pfizer and others have revealed recent data showing that booster shots are effective in fighting the variant. They also provide up to 75% protection from Covid symptoms.
There is still confusion about how effective boosters against this strain are. This was after Americans started receiving them in large numbers.
Columbia University published a new study on Thursday that found: “Even serum taken from people who were vaccinated with mRNA-based vaccinations showed substantially decreased neutralizing activity against (omicron),”
Loyola University of Maryland’s infectious disease expert Dr Chris Thompson (pictured), stated that Americans who are not yet boosted in the fight against infection should adopt early-pandemic behaviors.
The additional dose of vaccine was not available to all Americans until November, so only 16.5 percent have been vaccinated. This means that Omicron is still a risk for more than 80 percent.
Loyola University of Maryland’s infectious disease specialist, Dr Chris Thompson. DailyMail.com was informed by Thompson that some people may not have received the booster dose. He suggested on Thursday that they might want to return early habits such as social distancing and frequent hand washing.
“The data I have seen shows that about 33% of you are protected by a 2 dose regimen of one of the mRNA vaccinations.” [the Pfizer or Moderna shots]Johnson and Johnson’s vaccine is still not well-studied. Then, if you receive your booster it will appear that you can get back into the 75 percent range for protecting against disease and preventive medicine.
According to Omicron and Delta, the U.S. has yet another increase in Covid cases this holiday season. There are 121,188 cases per day in America, a 40 percent rise over the previous two weeks. As well as a 34% increase in deaths, the average weekly death rate is 1,302
In the last 14 days, the number of Americans infected with the virus has risen by 21 percent, to 68.079.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this situation is only going to get worse.