A recent study from South Africa has revealed that individuals who recovered from the Omicron variant of COVID-19 may gain future immunity against the Delta variant of the virus. According to the American newspaper "The New York Times," if the results of this study are confirmed, Omicron could make the future of the pandemic less bleak. Scientists predict that Omicron will soon become the dominant variant worldwide, given the speed at which it has spread since it was first identified last November.
Since Omicron causes milder symptoms compared to other variants, it could potentially lead to a decrease in hospital admissions due to COVID-19 in the future. Alex Sigal, a virology researcher at the Africa Health Research Institute in Durban, suggested that Omicron might overshadow Delta. If Omicron manages to displace Delta, it would indeed have contributed positively to the global fight against the pandemic, as Delta increases the likelihood of hospitalization for COVID-19 patients.
Laboratory experiments have shown that antibodies produced during an Omicron infection were capable of providing protection against Delta. The researcher stated, "We are also looking for something we can live with easily, as it would be less disruptive for us compared to previous variants." This study has been published on the health institute's website, but it has not yet been submitted to a medical journal.
Meanwhile, independent scientists who did not participate in the study indicated that the findings of the South African researcher seem plausible, although the conclusions remain preliminary at this stage. Epidemiologist Carl Pearson from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine noted that the study's results correspond to the current situation in England, where Omicron cases are rising while Delta cases are decreasing.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the Omicron variant of COVID-19 still poses a high risk, as global COVID-19 infections surged by 11% last week. During its weekly COVID-19 briefing, the organization stated that Omicron is behind the rise in cases in many countries and has become dominant over Delta. The source indicated that this increase in COVID-19 cases is likely due to two factors: the variant's ability to evade immunity and its greater transmissibility.
At the same time, the organization reported that South Africa, where the variant was first detected on November 24, experienced a 29% decline in the incidence of cases. Preliminary data from the UK, South Africa, and Denmark—currently the highest globally in terms of per capita infection rates—indicate that Omicron-infected individuals have a lower likelihood of hospitalization compared to those infected with Delta. Researchers emphasize that more data is still needed to draw definitive conclusions about the severity of the new variant that has confused the world and prompted countries to reimpose preventive measures.
