The U.S. has now had its first reported Omicron variant-related dying: a Covid-19 coronavirus reinfection in a person who was unvaccinated towards Covid-19.
In response to a Harris County Public Well being (HCPH) report the person was between 50 and 60 years of age. He had underlying well being situations that put him at larger threat for extreme Covid-19. It’s not clear why the person had not gotten vaccinated or whether or not he thought that his earlier extreme acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) an infection one way or the other supplied him sufficient safety. Regardless, no matter “pure immunity” he could have had from the primary an infection apparently wasn’t sufficient to fend off the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 the second time round.
Naturally, this case makes you surprise how a lot safety “pure immunity” will even provide towards the Omicron variant. The Omicron variant is a bit like Benedict Cumberbatch as Khan within the Star Trek films, fairly totally different from its predecessors. Kyle Griffin, Senior Producer for MSNBC‘s “The Final Phrase,” had a phrase or really a number of phrases for individuals who have been touting pure immunity over vaccination towards Covid-19:
This dying in Harris County, Texas, definitely received’t be the U.S.’s final and solely Omicron-related dying. The Omicron variant has been spreading within the U.S. sooner than a purple flag meme. It’s not but clear whether or not the Omicron variant is as probably or much less more likely to trigger extreme Covid-19 in comparison with different variations of the virus.
Nonetheless, the virus has already proven that it’s not mushy and cuddly and that it will possibly kill. As I lined for Forbes on December 18, the U.Ok. Well being Safety Company had reported seven Omicron-related deaths as of December 16. That quantity doubled to 14 as of two days later December 18, in line with a December 20 report from the U.Ok. Well being Safety Company.
Now the phrase “pure” in “pure immunity” could make it sound like a positive factor. However “pure” isn’t at all times higher. For instance, would you slightly have “pure” poop in your ear or pretend poop? Within the case of Covid-19, individuals have been utilizing “pure immunity” to explain the immune safety that you just supposedly get after recovering from a SARS-CoV-2 an infection, assuming that you just survive the an infection.
Nevertheless, such pure immunity could also be about as dependable as an alpaca as an evening membership bouncer. It’s not clear what share of these recovering from Covid-19 really find yourself having enough immune safety and the way lengthy this safety could final. For instance, as I lined for Forbes beforehand, a examine discovered that 36% of those that recovered from a SARS-CoV-2 didn’t even develop antibodies. In case you have been advised that there’s a 36% probability that you’re really carrying pants in public proper now, you’d most likely be a bit nervous. Furthermore, in August, I lined for Forbes how a examine discovered that unvaccinated of us have been over twice as probably as unvaccinated of us to get a SARS-CoV-2 reinfection.
These findings haven’t stopped some on social media from claiming that the Omicron variant is one way or the other proving “pure immunity” to be simpler than Covid-19 vaccination. For instance, there was the next tweet from an nameless Twitter account:
Basically, getting medical recommendation from an nameless social media account is like getting medical recommendation from toilet graffiti. Take any “statistic” supplied by an nameless social media account with a Justin Bieber lunchbox-full of salt, particularly when the account doesn’t clearly hyperlink the supply of the statistic.
Regardless, say you have been to just accept this statistic supplied by this nameless account: {that a} majority of Omicron circumstances have been in vaccinated individuals. It wouldn’t essentially imply that vaccinated persons are extra more likely to get contaminated by the Omicron variant than unvaccinated individuals. That may be like saying, individuals who put on garments in public usually tend to get contaminated than individuals who go au naturel. With over 73% of the U.S. inhabitants having obtained at the very least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccines, the virus is solely extra more likely to discover somebody who’s been vaccinated versus somebody who hasn’t. That’s how odds work.
Some touting “pure immunity” have pointed to the remark that vaccine-induced immunity could not shield as properly towards the Omicron variant because it has towards earlier variations of the virus. For instance, as Robert Hart described for Forbes on December 14, a preliminary examine discovered that two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to supply 70% safety towards hospitalization however solely 33% safety towards Covid-19 coronavirus an infection. This decreased safety is probably going because of the truth that the Omicron variant is to earlier SARS-CoV-2 as Benedict Cumberbatch was to Ricardo Montalbán within the Star Trek films: not fairly as recognizable. In comparison with the unique model of the SARS-CoV-2, the Omicron variant has over 50 mutations with over 30 affecting the spike protein.
Hmm, are you acquainted with the saying, “individuals who stay in glass homes should not throw stones?” Nicely, mentioning the constraints of the Covid-19 vaccine whereas attempting to tout “pure immunity” can be akin to throwing a ball aggressively towards a wall at very shut vary after which having the ball ricochet proper again into your face. If the Omicron variant can evade vaccine-induced immunity to some extent, what do you suppose it would do with “pure immunity,” which can be extra variable and weaker to start out? File this underneath “didn’t fairly suppose this via.”
The unfold of the Omicron variant simply gives extra motive to get a booster shot when you’ve already been totally vaccinated and get totally vaccinated if you’re not already so. As Lisa Kim has lined for Forbes, research have recommended {that a} Covid-19 mRNA booster shot might push your safety towards symptomatic Covid-19 again as much as the 70% plus vary. Equally, getting vaccinated after you’ve recovered from the Covid-19 will probably give you significantly better safety towards the Omicron variant than relying solely on no matter “pure immunity” you will have. In spite of everything, if you need safety, isn’t it higher to put on some extra garments than to go au naturel?