Which is the best?What we know so far – NBC Chicago

According to health experts, the new Omicron variant has led to an increase in breakthrough cases in vaccinated individuals, but one vaccine provides more protection than the other. Do you?

Public health experts say they continue to have milder infections than unvaccinated individuals, while fully vaccinated and boost-immunized individuals report an increase in cases. ..

Still, it’s a question many ask when preparing for vaccinations and booster shots. Currently, there is mixing and matching approved by US regulatory agencies.

Here’s what we know so far:

Is one vaccine better than another?

Dr. Allison Arwadi of the Chicago Public Health Department, Chicago’s top doctor, shows that the data now show that both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are superior to Johnson & Johnson vaccines in preventing breakthrough infections. Said that all three protect against hospitalization and death.

“The CDC has changed its guidance to recommend either Pfizer or Moderna as the first choice,” Arwady said. “We want to reassure people that the J & J vaccine continues to excel in protecting against these serious illnesses, but we are seeing more breakthroughs.”

Data on Johnson & Johnson vaccines and Omicron have not yet been released. U.S. health officials said earlier this month Most Americans should be vaccinated with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine instead of Johnson & Johnson Shot, which can cause rare but serious blood clots.

Breakthrough infections appear to be increased with all vaccines, but cases of fully vaccinated and boosted individuals appear to be mild compared to unvaccinated patients, Said the expert.

“Hospitals most often see people suffering from COVID, especially unvaccinated and serious illness,” Arwady said. “The symptoms we see are the same for Omicron and Delta. They are different from the original symptoms. What we see more often is what is called a breakthrough infection. Therefore, vaccines continue to protect, but they continue to beautifully protect against severe illness, but not so much against infection. ”

In Chicago and several Midwestern states, early cases of the Omicron variant appeared in fully vaccinated residents, some of whom were also boosted, but in these populations the symptoms have been mild so far. It remained.

“If [fully vaccinated people] In contrast to a serious illness that causes fever for several days and difficulty breathing, COVID infection can only be experienced as a mild illness, “Arwady said. That’s good because they haven’t got a serious illness. They aren’t threatening the healthcare system, but they can infect others, so there are certainly some concerns. “

However, unvaccinated people experience symptoms similar to those in the early stages of a pandemic, Arwady said.

“People who are not vaccinated will do the same: fever, cough, chills, shortness of breath,” she said.

Arwady’s comments are the same as those of other medical professionals looking at Omicron’s case.

In New York, where cases continue to proliferate, ER, who became known on social media for his record of fighting COVID during a pandemic, said the breakthrough cases seen in booster shot patients were “mild.” I reported that I had experienced symptoms.

“Mild means mainly sore throat. There is a lot of sore throat,” Craig Spencer said. I wrote on Twitter.. “Also, some malaise, maybe some muscle aches. No breathing difficulty. No shortness of breath. All a little uncomfortable, but fine.”

Cases of people who were completely vaccinated with either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine but were not boost-immunized remained mild but slightly more intense.

“I feel more tired, have more fever, have more coughs, and are a little miserable overall. But I have no shortness of breath. I have no difficulty breathing,” he writes.

For Johnson & Johnson patients who were not boosted, he wrote a “terrible mood” patient with fever, malaise, cough, and shortness of breath, but did not require hospitalization or oxygen.

However, without vaccination, the symptoms were more severe.

“Almost all the patients I took care of had to be hospitalized in Covid but were not vaccinated,” Spencer wrote. “People with severe shortness of breath. People who have lost oxygen when walking. People who need oxygen to breathe regularly.”

However, hospitalizations are increasing in Illinois, despite reports of mild infections among vaccinated people.

Pediatric hospitalization is also increasing in several states of the United States, including Illinois. NBC News Analysis of Data from the Department of Health and Human Services found.

According to data from the Illinois Public Health Service, the state has seen a surge in youth cases of all ages in recent weeks. Visits to emergency rooms for such ages also increased before and after vacations.

In Chicago, data show last week that hospitalizations for children under the age of 17 surged 155%.

Illinois Top Doctor The state said it was watching such numbers very carefully, However, in other states with similar trends, spikes were predominantly reported in unvaccinated children.

So is one vaccine better than the other in protecting against breakthrough infections in vaccinated populations?

“One doesn’t have the perfect vaccine,” said Dr. Egon Ozer, who works on infectious diseases at Northwestern Medicine. “Vaccines are never a silver bullet, especially if there are so many viruses that are still circulating, there is always some breakthrough and people may always have some virus available. It is certainly the case with Delta. That’s right. “

In a small preliminary study in South Africa where the Omicron variant was first detected, scientists said the mutant significantly reduced the antibody protection produced by it. Pfizer Those who have recovered from the virus and received booster shots may receive more protection from severe illness, but the BioNTech vaccine.

The findings were first published earlier this month.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said Wednesday that new data show that booster shots of the COVID-19 vaccine provide protection against Omicron variants and do not require re-prescribing shots of variant-specific boosters. ..

At the same time, researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have found that people with breakthrough infections after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine may acquire “superimmunity” against the virus.

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, antibodies in blood samples of breakthrough infections were 1,000% more effective than antibodies produced two weeks after the second dose of Pfizer vaccine. ..

As part of the study, blood samples were taken from all 52 college students who received the Pfizer vaccine. After vaccination, a total of 26 people were identified as having mild breakthrough infections. Studies have shown that of these cases, 10 were highly contagious delta mutants, 9 were non-delta mutants, and 7 were unknown mutants.

Do Pfizer booster shots protect from Omicron?

Pfizer said this month that boosters of the COVID-19 vaccine could provide significant protection against new Omicron variants, even though the first two doses appear to be significantly less effective. Said.

Pfizer and its partner BioNTech have shown that boosters increased at 25-fold levels of virus-fighting antibodies, although two doses may not provide sufficient protection to prevent infection. Stated.

Blood samples taken one month after the booster have people carrying similar levels of Omicron Neutralizing Antibodies that proved to be protective against previous mutants after two doses. I showed that I was there.

Do Moderna booster shots protect from Omicron?

Modana said that COVID-19 booster It seems to provide protection against the omicron variant.

In an announcement earlier this month, pharmaceutical companies said preliminary data from lab tests found that version. Boosters currently used in the United States And elsewhere, we raised antibody levels to neutralize the virus. However, it was also found that two doses of booster shots significantly increased these levels.

The drug company said the FDA-approved 50 microgram booster was found to increase neutralizing antibody levels against Omicron by 37-fold compared to pre-boost levels. On the other hand, it was found that the neutralizing antibody level increased 83 times by the booster administration of 100 micrograms.

How about Johnson & Johnson?

Data on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be released U.S. health officials said earlier this month Most Americans should be vaccinated with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine instead of Johnson & Johnson Shot, which can cause rare but serious blood clots.

A strange coagulation problem confirmed nine deaths after J & J vaccination, but the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines appear to be more effective without the risk, said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The adviser said.

J & J told the Commission that the vaccine still provides strong protection and is an important option, especially for areas with poor vaccine supply and those who do not want double doses.

Blood clots are rare, but “unfortunately, this is not the case with COVID-19,” said Dr. Penny Heaton of J & J.

Nonetheless, Arwady suggested that those vaccinated with the J & J vaccine should be vaccinated with a booster shot of Moderna or Pfizer instead.

“It’s especially important for people who have been vaccinated with the J & J. If it’s only two months old, get a booster and make it Pfizer or Moderna,” she said. “If you start with Pfizer or Moderna, the boosters can be the same … but the most important thing is to get vaccinated and know that there are people who prefer the J & J vaccine, so All three vaccines are available. That’s okay. Make sure you get the booster after two months. “