Omicron News and Research

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T-cell response to Omicron after an mRNA COVID vaccine booster

In a recent prospective observational study posted to the medRxiv* preprint server, researchers determined Omicron variant-associated T cell responses before and after a third dose of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccination against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in anti-CD20-treated multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

22 Dec 2021

All carers are encouraged to 'Get Boosted Now'

A new study, published today by the University of Birmingham and UCL, adds further evidence to the importance of a booster vaccine for both carers and care home residents as they are encouraged to Get Boosted Now.

22 Dec 2021

More breakthrough infections but less severe COVID-19 with Omicron

In a recent study posted to the bioRxiv* pre-print server, an international team of researchers reported the occurrence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) breakthrough infections (BTIs) among health care workers (HCWs) participating in a phase III vaccine trial in Sisonke, South Africa.

22 Dec 2021

Infect, replicate, and rapidly mutate: Computational virus modeling study

A new bioRxiv* preprint study led by Barbara A Jones of IBM Research-Almaden in San Jose, California, used computational modeling to investigate how viruses rapidly mutate as well as how they respond or adapt to different host conditions. They observed a range of behaviors from glassy dynamics, bimodal quasispecies distributions, and periodic steady states.

22 Dec 2021

UK reaches milestone of 30 million boosters as the drive continues to Get Boosted Now

More than 30 million people, over 56% of adults in the UK, have now had their COVID-19 booster during a record-breaking week for top-up jabs.

22 Dec 2021

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Manchin blows up Biden’s ‘Build Back Better’

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) dashed the hopes of President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats for passage of the giant "Build Back Better" bill before the end of the year, when he announced his opposition to the measure in an interview on "Fox News Sunday."

22 Dec 2021

Importance of booster vaccine doses for maintaining protection against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant

A new study shows that although the Omicron variant exhibits significant immune escape compared to other SARS-CoV-2 variants, antibody neutralization can be largely restored with booster doses of mRNA vaccines.

22 Dec 2021

Omicron evades roughly twice the number of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies than Delta

New study results highlight that Omicron has an increased affinity to ACE-2 receptors, therefore, has increased infectivity, viral load, and transmissibility compared to other variants of concern, including the Delta variant.

22 Dec 2021

Extended interval between second and third vaccination beneficial against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant

A new study proposes a multi-boost vaccine strategy with a longer duration between the second and third dose, as that would be beneficial in acquiring immunity against severely mutated SARS-CoV-2 variants.

22 Dec 2021

UK government signs two new deals to combat the Omicron variant

Millions more cutting-edge antiviral treatments for COVID-19 have been secured for NHS patients as the UK Government signs two new contracts to help tackle Omicron.

22 Dec 2021

Government to provide additional support for businesses affected by Omicron variant in the UK

Recognizing that the rise of the Omicron variant means some businesses are likely to struggle over the coming weeks, the government is providing one-off grants of up to £6,000 per premises for businesses in the hospitality and leisure sectors in England.

21 Dec 2021

Early administration of SARS-CoV-2 convalescent plasma reduces outpatient hospitalizations

The results of a nationwide, multicenter clinical trial led by Johns Hopkins Medicine and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health provides solid evidence for the use of plasma from convalescent patients — those who have recovered from the disease and whose blood contains antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 — as an early treatment.

21 Dec 2021

How the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant spike protein is changing

The study assesses the degree to which the D614G mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 RBD allows access of spike protein trimers to LA-binding-like conformations.

21 Dec 2021

Diagnostic assays that use the 2019-nCoV-N1 primer-probe are unlikely to be impacted by Omicron variant

A new study aimed to detect the genomic material of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, such as the recently emerged variant of concern (VOC) Omicron.

21 Dec 2021

Stabilizing the long-term endemic behavior of COVID-19

Researchers used a classic age and contact structured model to explore the several reopening and vaccination coverage scenarios regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.

21 Dec 2021

Estimating vaccine efficacy against COVID-like illness from omicron and other COVID-19 variants

A new study combines real-time syndromic surveillance data from daily cross-sectional surveys with a COVID-like illness (CLI) prevalence-based vaccine efficacy estimator to better explain the early onset of the omicron variant.

21 Dec 2021

An Omicron wave predicted for England from December 2021 to April 2022

A study, published on the medRxiv* preprint server, focuses on the interaction between Omicron variants and public health interventions in England that promote immunity.

20 Dec 2021

New oral pill for COVID-19 home treatment

As cases and hospitalizations continue to rise in many countries, new treatments are being sought to arrest the progression of the disease, preventing severe illness and death or disability. One such is the small molecule molnupiravir, the focus of a new research paper.

20 Dec 2021

New study suggests most monoclonal antibody treatments are ineffective against Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant

The arrival of the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant has brought into question the effectiveness of current COVID-19 treatments in preventing infection and death. New research published in the preprint bioRxiv* server suggests the efficacy of most monoclonal antibody treatments are ineffective against Omicron.

20 Dec 2021

New Omicron variant may be better at evading vaccine-induced antibodies, research shows

The Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 may be significantly better than previous variants at evading vaccine-induced antibodies, according to new research from Cambridge - but preliminary evidence suggests it is less likely to cause severe COVID-19 illness in the lungs.

20 Dec 2021

Omicron News and Research

T-cell response to Omicron after an mRNA COVID vaccine booster

All carers are encouraged to 'Get Boosted Now'

More breakthrough infections but less severe COVID-19 with Omicron

Infect, replicate, and rapidly mutate: Computational virus modeling study

UK reaches milestone of 30 million boosters as the drive continues to Get Boosted Now

KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Manchin blows up Biden’s ‘Build Back Better’

Importance of booster vaccine doses for maintaining protection against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant

Omicron evades roughly twice the number of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies than Delta

Extended interval between second and third vaccination beneficial against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant

UK government signs two new deals to combat the Omicron variant

Government to provide additional support for businesses affected by Omicron variant in the UK

Early administration of SARS-CoV-2 convalescent plasma reduces outpatient hospitalizations

How the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant spike protein is changing

Diagnostic assays that use the 2019-nCoV-N1 primer-probe are unlikely to be impacted by Omicron variant

Stabilizing the long-term endemic behavior of COVID-19

Estimating vaccine efficacy against COVID-like illness from omicron and other COVID-19 variants

An Omicron wave predicted for England from December 2021 to April 2022

New oral pill for COVID-19 home treatment

New study suggests most monoclonal antibody treatments are ineffective against Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant

New Omicron variant may be better at evading vaccine-induced antibodies, research shows

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