Omicron mutants are expected to predominate in Australia as NSW records 1,360 new Covid cases.Australian news

An associate professor of immunoviral and etiology programs at the Institute of Stuart Turville, University of New South Wales, said the institute obtained samples from the first two identified as Australian Omicron variants. They arrived in Sydney from Doha and were completely vaccinated.

Despite their vaccination status, they were as infectious as those who were not vaccinated, Turville said.

“Before, I knew that beta was the most. [vaccine] In terms of efficacy in inhibiting infection, we have encountered evasive variants, “he said.

“Omicron was a flat line … No antibody protection from double-vaccinated donors, regardless of vaccine type. No need to talk about AstraZeneca or Pfizer. Both are zero.”

However, he said these two travelers may have had a poor response to the vaccine, which does not mean that two doses of the vaccine have zero protection against infection from Omicron. rice field. South African data released overnight suggest that protection from infection is 33% of those who receive two doses, similar to Kirby’s data, which predicts 37%.

Dr. Deborah Cromer, Group Leader of Infectious Epidemiology, said the vaccines provided limited protection against symptomatic infections by Omicron, but “the serious illnesses and hospitalizations that result from these vaccines,” said Dr. Deborah Cromer. There is still some protection against it. “

A third booster immunization with an mRNA vaccine such as Pfizer or Moderna “significantly increases neutralizing antibodies and provides protection. [at] It’s a very high level of protection up to about 85% for symptomatic illness and about 98% for severe illness, “she said.

The booster rollout is too early to collect enough samples from people who received three doses of the vaccine to see how Omicron behaves against the vaccine. Researchers at the Kirby Institute hope that ethical approval and sufficient study participants will begin taking samples from people who received three doses next week.

However, researchers saw how samples from people who had the virus and had natural antibodies and were vaccinated twice responded to the mutant, and booster shots against Omicron. He said he imitated the impact.

“It suppresses the virus,” Turville said. “But the ability to protect cells from infection is reduced by an average of 1/22.”

Cromer added that the booster seemed to be protective for at least a year or two, but every six months it’s likely that Omicron will need a continuous booster.

“With a booster, you’ll need another booster within six months, but I’m not sure what other variations will emerge,” she says. “We really need to focus on the data we currently have.”

Turville said the variant is likely to overtake Delta. Based on how the spread is accelerating abroad..

Victoria’s Prime Minister, Daniel Andrews, does not rule out requiring a third shot to participate in the “vaccinated economy.”

Guardian Australia asked Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt if the government was considering mandating a third vaccination for a complete vaccination in the light of Kirby Institute data, but still answered. Have not received. Hunt has previously stated that a third dose is not required for activities such as traveling abroad, but some countries require booster shots before admitting entry.

Dr. Omar Holsid, President of the Australian Medical Association, warned that the booster program was too slow to roll out and the vaccination hub should continue to run.

“By the end of this month, nearly 4 million people will be eligible for boosters, but last week Australia was only able to administer more than 210,000 booster doses,” he said.

“Omicron, the latest strain of Covid-19, poses a significant potential risk to the population and appears to be much more susceptible to infection than previous strains, so we need to increase our pace to protect the community. . “

Researchers at the Kirby Institute said they didn’t want to get advice on boosters in advance. The Australian Immunization Technology Advisory Group (Atagi), which advises the government on vaccination, will review Kirby’s data along with data from other research groups, including abroad.