Corona study: We will always be infected

Created: 2022-06-27Updated: 2022-06-27 12:12 p.m

By: Judith Brown

Despite booster vaccination and breakthrough infection, we can always get infected.

A study confirms what scientists were already expecting.

Munich – Many people were hoping that there would be a kind of “breather” from Corona this summer as well.

As is well known, the virus does not like the sun and is somewhat more stable in the cold.

However, what applied to the summer months of the past two years during the corona pandemic will probably look different in 2022 due to the omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.

According to a study, even people who have been vaccinated three times and who have already had a corona infection can become infected again.

The number of cases could therefore increase – and we could therefore face a summer wave.

Corona: We will get infected again and again

As the study published in the journal "Science Immunology" shows, despite breakthrough infection with the omicron subtype BA.1, infection with BA.4 or BA.5 can occur again in boosted patients.

This is due to the change in the pathogen – also known as immune escape.

This means that the surfaces of the spike proteins of the new omicron variants differ from those of the BA.1 subtype.

It is true that the body has formed antibodies as a result of the vaccination and the breakthrough infection with BA.1.

However, these are probably less able to bind to the modified surface.

As a result of the change, the immune system is less able to recognize the pathogen.

In addition, the existing antibodies are less able to ward it off.

This means that further reinfections can occur.

According to the "Apotheken Umschau Online", Prof. Ulrike Protzer, Director of the Institute of Virology at the Helmholtz Center Munich and Head of the Institute of Virology at the Technical University of Munich, also considers this result to be scientifically to be expected.

Clinical experience also shows that further secondary infections cannot be prevented with an omicron variant.

You can find even more exciting health topics in the free 24vita newsletter, which you can subscribe to here.

Coronavirus: Vaccination and vaccine breakthrough do not protect against reinfection

You have to assume that people will get infected with Corona again and again.

This is confirmed by the results of a study.

© Damian Klamka/IMAGO

also read

If your nasal mucus is this color, then quickly to the doctor

Remove tick: How to kill the bloodsucker correctly

Nevertheless, a double or triple vaccination with an mRNA vaccine and an additional infection with the omicron variant BA.1 provides increased protection against different corona variants and a severe course of corona.

Those who have been boosted also have significantly shorter symptoms after an infection with Omicron.

However, they do not protect against re-infection with omicron subtypes BA.4 or BA.5.

Therefore we have to reckon with the fact that we will be infected again and again.

This article only contains general information on the respective health topic and is therefore not intended for self-diagnosis, treatment or medication.

In no way does it replace a visit to the doctor.

Unfortunately, our editors are not allowed to answer individual questions about clinical pictures.