The coronavirus pandemic seems to have come close to its end thanks to the novel variant called Omicron.
It’s been just revealed that a lot of vaccinated people have caught covid 19 in the Bay Area over the past few months, thanks to the highly infectious omicron variant, which infects vaccinated people much more easily than earlier strains.
SFGate notes the fact that this means tens of thousands of people are now protected by vaccination and recent infection, which confers the much-vaunted “natural immunity.”
The online publication notes the following:
“Their bodies are teeming with a new hit of antibodies, many of them better-tailored to the omicron variant than the ones formed in response to immunization.”
According to the latest reports, they also have a new cohort of immune cells that recognize not only the virus’s spike protein, which was used to make the vaccine. But it’s also important to note that they also recognize other parts of the virus not included in vaccines. Scientists call this one-two punch “hybrid immunity.”
“You have COVID immunity superpowers.” This is what Dr. Bob Wachter, chair of UCSF’s department of medicine.
“At least for several months, you are as protected as can be, and can feel very comfortable not wearing a mask pretty much everywhere.”
Coronavirus in the news
It’s been just revealed that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that the BA.2 subvariant is responsible for about 1-in-10 covid 19 cases in the country, according to Reuters.
That number represents a 5% increase from the previous week, per U.S. News and World Report.
The World Health Organization said the BA.2 has been spreading fast globally, too, according to the same official reports.
Also, it’s been just revealed by CNBC that Pfizer plans to submit data to the Food and Drug Administration for a fourth Covid shot soon.
