In a first study on the omicron variant of the coronavirus, scientists find an indication of the best protection.

Innsbruck – Thanks to the first studies on the new omicron variant of the corona virus, scientists were able to draw initial conclusions about the infectiousness and peculiarities of the corona variant just a few weeks after the discovery of the new mutation. With a Studied at the University of Innsbruck Another component will be added at the end of December.

Those who die from the virological institute at the Medical University of Innsbruck are currently assuming that a combination of a vaccination against corona and a surviving corona disease can lead to a kind of “super immunity”. This was the result of an examination of over 80 blood samples from patients in whom immunity to the Omikron variant and older variants was determined. The study results have been published as a preprint and have not yet been verified by independent experts.

Corona variant Omicron with numerous mutations compared to previous variants

Measured value These are the so-called antibody titers, which are determined by a strong dilution of the blood and are also taken into account when examining the effectiveness of a vaccination. With the help of the antibody titers, a basis for comparison can be established as to who is protected to what extent against which variant of the corona spike protein and under what conditions.

Several studies in the past had indicated that.

New variant: effectiveness of many corona vaccines at Omikron reduced

This has now also been confirmed in the study from Innsbruck, in which the antibody titers of patients with various combinations of prerequisites were examined. This includes patients who survived an infection with the alpha, beta and delta variants, as well as patients who were vaccinated or boosted with the corona vaccines from Moderna, Astrazeneca and Biontech.

In doing so, he pointed out that the immunity to the omicron variant was significantly lower in all cases than against earlier variants, and in the case of a single vaccination with the vaccine from Astrazeneca, almost no immunity at all could even be measured. Even with those who have recovered, the blood samples do not declare reliable protection against infection with the omicron variant.

Corona study in Innsbruck demonstrates “super immunity” of vaccinated convalescents

The immunity was significantly higher only in those patients who were either vaccinated once or twice after a corona infection, or in whom a so-called vaccination breakthrough, also an infection despite vaccination, could be detected. Here, the researchers around the virologist and medical advisor to the Austrian government, Dorothee von Laer, spoke of a form of super-immunity. A booster vaccination with the Biontech vaccine also leads to increased immunity.

Nonetheless, the study comes to the conclusion that the data in the investigations strongly suggest that a vaccine adapted to the variant could lead to significantly better protection and will be developed as quickly as possible. (ska)