The omicron coronavirus strain at an early stage of the disease overcomes immunity four times more actively than the delta variant. About it informs Bloomberg citing research by Hiroshi Nishiura, professor at Kyoto University, a specialist in mathematical modeling of infectious diseases.
“The omicron variant is more contagious, it overcomes the immunity developed both naturally and through vaccination,” – Nishiura.
At the same time, while the researchers note that with the “omicron” the disease proceeds mainly in a mild form, there are few severe cases of the disease. Physicians and scientists in South Africa, who were the first to study the omicron, came to similar conclusions.
Pfizer and BioNTech said the booster dose of the coronavirus vaccine will neutralize the omicron.
Previously, two independent studies at once in Germany and South Africa published results, according to which none of the existing vaccines helps to prevent cell infection with the omicron strain.