Coronavirus Briefing: Good News About Immunity

Today we start with good news about immunity.

Covid boosters seem to continue to protect most people from serious illness and death, according to a surge in new research Months, and maybe years — This probably means you don’t have to line up another shot right away.

Previous studies have shown that antibodies, the body’s first line of defense against the virus, May decline over timeSome people are worried that they can get stuck in an indefinite cycle of boosters. But my colleague Apoorva Mandavilli said that antibodies are only part of the big picture.

“People are crazy about antibodies,” Apoorva said. This is partly because antibody research is relatively easy and rapid. “But antibody levels are constantly falling. That doesn’t necessarily mean that your immune system is weakened against severe illness. It’s a bad way to think about your immune system.”

Instead, a new study focused on other parts of the immune system that can remember and destroy the virus, such as B cells and T cells. Studies show that this diverse defensive repertoire should be able to protect people with three shots. Or two, months or years.

“Think of a front-line soldier-like antibody, which is the first antibody to keep an eye on the gates and prevent enemies from invading,” Apoorva said. Over time, if your body does not see new enemies, the number of these guards at the gate may decrease.

“But let’s say you have very few antibodies and the virus has invaded, and you have these backup protections,” Apoorva said. “B cells make more antibodies, and T cells can destroy infected cells, so you can basically stop the infection between them and prevent them from getting sick.”

This double punch of T cells and B cells may still be infected with the Omicron mutant in many people who have been vaccinated two or three times, but only a few have become seriously ill. Helps explain some reason. And two of the recent studies have shown that a third mRNA shot produces a more diverse antibody and a richer pool of B cells, which is why boosted ones give better results. Is explained.

According to a new study, T cells produced by the four Covid vaccines (Pfizer, Modana, Johnson & Johnson, Novabacs) are about 80 percent more potent against Omicron compared to other variants. Given how different Omicron mutations are from previous variants, researchers say it is very likely that T cells will launch similarly powerful attacks on future variants.

This is consistent with what scientists have discovered about the SARS coronavirus, which killed nearly 800 people in the 2003 Asian epidemic. In people exposed to the virus, T cells have been around for over 17 years. So far, according to experts, evidence shows that long-term memory cells of the coronavirus may also remain over time.

“Vaccines are really good at producing long-term memory,” Apoorva said. “And if we’re worried that our health system is preventing people from being overwhelmed by many sick people, then at least those who have already taken two, perhaps three, doses. It’s a good idea to go for a while. “

Next animal reservoir?

Scientists discovered that the coronavirus was widespread in white-tailed deer last fall, and the virus could settle in animal reservoirs, mutate, and spread to other species, including returning to humans. Increased concern.

And they started asking: Which animal is next?

After the first reports of animal infections in 2020, Barbara Han, a disease ecologist at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, set out to develop an artificial intelligence model to narrow the field of surveillance. She and her colleagues have identified 540 species of mammals that are most likely to host and spread the coronavirus.

The candidate list includes “perinatal” seeds that live with us but roam freely. In North America, these include white-footed mice, red foxes, and stray cats. USDA and other agency personnel are looking for signs of the virus in animals that live around zoos, wildlife facilities, and mink farms (rodents, skunks, foxes, possums, etc.).

Experts say you don’t have to panic and emphasize that you shouldn’t blame animals for spreading the virus. However, identifying endangered species is important for protecting the health of both humans and animals.

Staying ahead of the virus requires long-term funding and commitment. But by making these investments, scientists have a better system for monitoring other species of pathogens and an understanding of how animal health is related to our health. It is said that it can be deepened. It may help professionals catch the next looming health threat.

“There is no harm in better understanding the world around us,” said Dr. Han. “It’s only harmful to not understand that knowledge and not invest. This is really obvious now.”

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What you are doing

I became a nurse in the fall of 2019 and started working at the ER, which has witnessed a lot of unnecessary suffering and death over the last two years. Last week, I treated a 7-week-old baby who caught Covid from unvaccinated parents. They were very angry with me when I suggested that I might have prevented this. This week I accepted another job. I decided to leave the terrible feeling ER because I already knew that there was a shortage of personnel and they needed me, but I can’t do this anymore.

— Brian, Bellingham, Washington.

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