Boosters significantly restore protection vs Omicron, UK says
In an analysis of 581 people with confirmed Omicron, two doses of AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines provided much lower levels of protection against symptomatic infection compared with what they provide against Delta
Booster Covid-19 shots significantly restore protection against mild disease caused by the Omicron variant, in part reversing an otherwise steep drop in vaccine effectiveness, the UK Health Security Agency said on Friday.
The early findings from a real-world analysis are some of the earliest data on the protection against Omicron outside of lab studies, which have shown reduced neutralising activity against Omicron.
"These early estimates should be treated with caution but they indicate that a few months after the second jab, there is a greater risk of catching the Omicron variant compared to Delta strain," said Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at the UKHSA, adding that protection against severe disease was expected to remain higher.
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"The data suggest this risk is significantly reduced following a booster vaccine, so I urge everyone to take up their booster when eligible."
In an analysis of 581 people with confirmed Omicron, two doses of AstraZeneca or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines provided much lower levels of protection against symptomatic infection compared with what they provide against Delta.
