University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center

Natural immunity to SARS-CoV-2 weakened significantly after Omicron’s emergence

Medical News Research reveals a sharp decline in both the effectiveness and duration of protection from prior infection post-Omicron, underscoring the need for updated vaccines to sustain immunity A recent Nature study investigated the consequence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) evolution, particularly between the pre-Omicron era and the Omicron era, concerning the extent and durability of immune induced after natural infection.

Rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2

In contrast to other coronaviruses and RNA viruses, SARS-CoV-2 underwent rapid evolutionary changes over relatively shorter timescales. Before the emergence of the Omicron variant, divergent lineages of SARS-CoV-2, including Alpha, Beta, and Delta lineages, had emerged and become the dominantly circulating strain. Each variant exhibited a specific phenotype. Link to article in Nature

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