Past infection with covid-19 does not necessarily confer protection against future infection, especially when it comes to the delta and omicron variants, researchers have warned.
Wendy Barclay, head of infectious disease at Imperial College London, told an event organised by the Zoe study group1 on 3 February, “Each variant is different from the starting virus, but it’s not necessarily a linear difference. If you can picture in three dimensional space the original Wuhan one sitting in the middle—some of the other variants have sort of gone out from Wuhan but in different directions. The two that are most different from each other are delta and omicron.”
She said people who think their past infection will give them good protection against future variants may be mistaken, and that this is a powerful reason to get vaccinated. “You’re actually better off being vaccinated, even if you get infected on top of that vaccine, as we can see that it broadens out the immune response and gives you potentially better protection against all the other variants that are going to come a little later,” Barclay said.
BA.2
Regarding the omicron variant sub-lineage BA.2, which is now spreading in the UK with more than 1000 confirmed cases reported in England as of 31 January 2022,2 Barclay explained that there are three versions of omicron—BA.1 (the version of omicron that has spread widely around the world), BA.2, and BA.3.
Early data suggested that BA.2 has a slight advantage over BA.1, despite there not seeming to be a huge difference between them, said Barclay. She said both have a “double whammy ability” with a lot of changes in the spike protein, meaning that the antibodies the population has made against vaccines or previous infection are not able to “see the virus very well.” BA.2 may also have some other attributes that make it better at transmitting, which is how it is starting to displace BA.1 in countries such as Denmark.
She suggested that as the “number of slight changes in BA.2 is somewhat less,” BA.1 may have accumulated so many changes that it has “compromised to a degree its own fitness, whereas BA.2 has struck a better balance with the escape from antibodies, while maintaining good transmissibility.”
The UK Health Security Agency has warned that BA.2 has an “increased growth rate” compared with BA.1, and that those with BA.2 are more likely to infect household contacts.
Variant vaccines
Looking at the future of the pandemic and protection against SARS-CoV-2, Barclay discussed the importance of developing vaccines that can protect against many different variants. She said that while many vaccine manufacturers, especially those using mRNA technology, have marketed themselves on the idea that their platform can be rapidly adapted to fit new variants, there is little evidence that this is happening.
“I know that they’ve developed vaccines against beta, but beta has been and gone and we’re now on omicron. I don’t think we’re going to have an omicron vaccine, for the UK anyway, until omicron has been and gone,” Barclay said.
She has suggested that multivalent vaccines designed to work against several variants at once may be the future. Barclay noted, however, that this was a big challenge, and one that has still not been overcome for the likes of influenza. “There are some great ideas that are being tested at the moment, but in the short term I don’t see that happening.”
News
Half of vaccines are binned – ‘fridge-free’ versions could change that
Vaccines that do not need to be kept cool in a fridge have been successfully trialed in patients for the first time, say UK scientists. Currently, most vaccines need to be refrigerated or frozen [...]
Mushroom Mystery: The Fungus That Makes People See Tiny Humans
A mushroom sold in markets and served in restaurants in Southwest China has an unusual warning attached to it: cook it thoroughly, or you may start seeing tiny people. For decades, people have reported [...]
Artificial intelligence used to design brand new viruses
Artificial Intelligence has been used to design brand new viruses that are fully functional and can replicate in the laboratory, say US researchers. It is the first time whole genomes have been successfully designed [...]
Molecular Manufacturing: The Future of Nanomedicine – New book from NanoappsMedical Inc.
This book explores the revolutionary potential of atomically precise manufacturing technologies to transform global healthcare, as well as practically every other sector across society. This forward-thinking volume examines how envisaged Factory@Home systems might enable the cost-effective [...]
Moderna kicks off Phase I Ebola trial as Africa readies itself for research
If the Phase I trial is successful, Moderna plans to quickly initiate Phase II and Phase III trials of its Ebola vaccine. Moderna has initiated a Phase I trial of its mRNA Ebola vaccine [...]
3D Human Brain Tissue Model Replicates Alzheimer’s Pathology
Summary: Researchers introduced a highly reproducible three-dimensional human brain tissue model capable of replicating complex neurodegenerative processes in Alzheimer’s disease. Developed over nine years using human stem cells, the self-organizing tissue spheroids integrate functional neurons, [...]
A Common Sugar May Loosen Cancer Cells and Help Them Spread
Chemotherapy may kill most ovarian cancer cells, but the few that survive can turn dangerously active. By releasing fructose, they may help nearby tumor cells break free and spread. Researchers at The Wistar Institute [...]
COVID-19 can wake up dormant viruses in the body, large study confirms
Virus reactivations by SARS-CoV-2 could worsen initial symptoms and increase risk of Long Covid. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists noticed that a SARS-CoV-2 infection can “wake up” other, dormant viruses already present in [...]
Scientists Discover the Brain May Enter a New Biological Phase Between 50 and 75
A single-cell study reveals major changes in immune cells, genome organization, and gene regulation within the aging human hippocampus, offering important insights into brain aging and dementias associated with age. Between roughly ages 50 [...]
Our books now available worldwide!
Online Sellers other than Amazon, Routledge, and IOPP Indigo Global Health Care Equivalency in the Age of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and Artifcial Intelligence Global Health Care Equivalency In The Age Of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine And Artificial [...]
Unzipping the Code of Life: Scientists Pinpoint Where DNA First Opens
Researchers mapped where DNA first opens and how a helicase gate may release one strand as genome copying begins. Before a cell can divide, it must open its tightly wound DNA and begin copying the entire [...]
Scientists Tested an 8-Hour Eating Window and Found a Surprising Brain Benefit
Limiting the daily eating window may provide brain benefits beyond those associated with weight loss. Eating within a shorter daily window may provide cognitive benefits beyond those associated with weight loss alone, according to [...]
Focused Ultrasound Opens Blood-Brain Barrier to Treat Brain Cancer
Summary: A new study demonstrates that primary brain tumors (gliomas) are particularly receptive to targeted drug delivery using focused ultrasound (FUS) combined with microbubbles. The team developed a high-resolution MRI protocol to track blood-brain barrier [...]
AI’s promise and practical limits in drug discovery
AI tools are becoming increasingly common in early drug discovery, allowing scientists to analyse data and navigate large volumes of research. However, according to Dr Raminderpal Singh, turning that potential into consistent scientific workflows [...]
GHCE Concept
From the preface of the book Global Health Care Equivalency in the Age of Nanotechnology, Nanomedicine and Artificial Intelligence, Edited by Frank Boehm: Since the publication of my first book (Nanomedical Device and Systems [...]
Healthcare Headlines: Challenges and Advances in 2026
Health-related updates reveal financial adjustments by Universal Health Services due to Medicaid reimbursement uncertainties, significant pollution-linked health concerns from French-British oil firm Perenco in Congo, drug trial setbacks, potential restructuring at major medical firms, [...]
