Omicron protection even after two Biontech vaccinations: New South Africa study shows a changed situation

Created: 12/25/2021, 06:20 AM

From: Richard Strobl

According to a new study on the omicron variant of the coronavirus, two vaccinations with the Biontech vaccine also protect.

However, the protection is less.

Cape Town - How dangerous is the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus?

And how well do the current vaccines protect against the mutant?

A new study from South Africa, where Omikron was first discovered, now provides new answers to these questions.

According to this, two doses of the Biontech vaccine clearly protect against severe disease even if the Omikron * variant is infected.

However, the protection against infection itself is significantly lower than that of other mutants.

Omikron study: Biontech vaccination protects against severe disease

This is now the result of a large-scale new Corona * study from South Africa, on which the "Tagesschau" reports, among other things.

The study was carried out by South Africa's largest private health insurance company, Discovery Health.

It is based on more than 211,000 positive test results between November 15th and December 7th.

Of these, almost 78,000 infections were attributed to the new Omikron variant.

A double Biontech vaccination therefore offered 70 percent protection against severe courses that also require hospitalization.

However, a double vaccination only protected 33 percent from an infection itself.

Study on the Omicron variant: Children are apparently less likely to be infected

However, the study data are surveys from the first few weeks of the Omikron wave.

As the variant spreads, the data could still change.

Nevertheless: According to the study, the risk of being infected with corona was higher during the fourth wave in South Africa than during previous waves.

But: The risk of a severe course with hospitalization was 29 percent lower than with the first wave.

For children, however, the risk of hospitalization is 20 percent higher, it said.

The absolute frequency of such cases is very low.

Overall, the risk for children of being tested positive during the fourth wave was significantly lower than for adults.

And that by a full 51 percent.