Reinfection In Unvaccinated Man Who Previously Had Covid-19

The U.S. has now had its first reported Omicron variant-related dying: a Covid-19 coronavirus reinfection in a person who was unvaccinated in opposition to Covid-19.

According to a Harris County Public Health (HCPH) report the person was between 50 and 60 years of age. He had underlying well being circumstances that put him at increased danger for extreme Covid-19. It’s not clear why the person had not gotten vaccinated or whether or not he thought that his earlier extreme acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) an infection someway provided him sufficient safety. Regardless, no matter “pure immunity” he might have had from the primary an infection apparently wasn’t sufficient to fend off the Omicron variant of the SARS-CoV-2 the second time round.

Naturally, this case makes you marvel how a lot safety “pure immunity” will even supply in opposition to the Omicron variant. The Omicron variant is a bit like Benedict Cumberbatch as Khan within the Star Trek motion pictures, fairly completely different from its predecessors. Kyle Griffin, Senior Producer for MSNBC‘s “The Final Phrase,” had a phrase or really a number of phrases for individuals who have been touting pure immunity over vaccination in opposition to Covid-19:

This dying in Harris County, Texas, actually received’t be the U.S.’s final and solely Omicron-related dying. The Omicron variant has been spreading within the U.S. sooner than a crimson flag meme. It’s not but clear whether or not the Omicron variant is as possible or much less prone to trigger extreme Covid-19 in comparison with different variations of the virus.

Nonetheless, the virus has already proven that it’s not gentle and cuddly and that it might kill. As I coated for Forbes on December 18, the U.Ok. Well being Safety Company had reported seven Omicron-related deaths as of December 16. That quantity doubled to 14 as of two days later December 18, in accordance with a December 20 report from the U.Ok. Well being Safety Company.

Now the phrase “pure” in “pure immunity” might make it sound like a positive factor. However “pure” isn’t at all times higher. For instance, would you slightly have “pure” poop in your ear or pretend poop? Within the case of Covid-19, individuals have been utilizing “pure immunity” to explain the immune safety that you simply supposedly get after recovering from a SARS-CoV-2 an infection, assuming that you simply survive the an infection.

Nonetheless, such pure immunity could also be about as dependable as an alpaca as an evening membership bouncer. It’s not clear what proportion of these recovering from Covid-19 really find yourself having satisfactory immune safety and the way lengthy this safety might final. For instance, as I coated for Forbes beforehand, a examine discovered that 36% of those that recovered from a SARS-CoV-2 didn’t even develop antibodies. If you happen to had been advised that there’s a 36% probability that you’re really sporting pants in public proper now, you’d most likely be a bit nervous. Furthermore, in August, I coated for Forbes how a examine discovered that unvaccinated of us had been over twice as possible as unvaccinated of us to get a SARS-CoV-2 reinfection.

These findings haven’t stopped some on social media from claiming that the Omicron variant is someway proving “pure immunity” to be simpler than Covid-19 vaccination. For instance, there was the next tweet from an nameless Twitter account:

Typically, getting medical recommendation from an nameless social media account is like getting medical recommendation from rest room graffiti. Take any “statistic” provided by an nameless social media account with a Justin Bieber lunchbox-full of salt, particularly when the account doesn’t clearly hyperlink the supply of the statistic.

Regardless, say you had been to simply accept this statistic provided by this nameless account: {that a} majority of Omicron instances have been in vaccinated individuals. It wouldn’t essentially imply that vaccinated persons are extra prone to get contaminated by the Omicron variant than unvaccinated individuals. That might be like saying, individuals who put on garments in public usually tend to get contaminated than individuals who go au naturel. With over 73% of the U.S. inhabitants having acquired not less than one dose of the Covid-19 vaccines, the virus is just extra prone to discover somebody who’s been vaccinated versus somebody who hasn’t. That’s how odds work.

Some touting “pure immunity” have pointed to the commentary that vaccine-induced immunity might not shield as properly in opposition to the Omicron variant because it has in opposition to earlier variations of the virus. For instance, as Robert Hart described for Forbes on December 14, a preliminary examine discovered that two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine to supply 70% safety in opposition to hospitalization however solely 33% safety in opposition to Covid-19 coronavirus an infection. This diminished safety is probably going attributable to the truth that the Omicron variant is to earlier SARS-CoV-2 as Benedict Cumberbatch was to Ricardo Montalbán within the Star Trek motion pictures: not fairly as recognizable. In comparison with the unique model of the SARS-CoV-2, the Omicron variant has over 50 mutations with over 30 affecting the spike protein.

Hmm, are you acquainted with the saying, “individuals who stay in glass homes should not throw stones?” Properly, declaring the constraints of the Covid-19 vaccine whereas attempting to tout “pure immunity” can be akin to throwing a ball aggressively in opposition to a wall at very shut vary after which having the ball ricochet proper again into your face. If the Omicron variant can evade vaccine-induced immunity to some extent, what do you assume it would do with “pure immunity,” which can be extra variable and weaker to start out? File this underneath “didn’t fairly assume this via.”

The unfold of the Omicron variant simply presents extra cause to get a booster shot in the event you’ve already been absolutely vaccinated and get absolutely vaccinated in case you are not already so. As Lisa Kim has coated for Forbes, research have recommended {that a} Covid-19 mRNA booster shot might push your safety in opposition to symptomatic Covid-19 again as much as the 70% plus vary. Equally, getting vaccinated after you’ve recovered from the Covid-19 will possible give you a lot better safety in opposition to the Omicron variant than relying solely on no matter “pure immunity” you will have. In any case, if you’d like safety, isn’t it higher to put on some extra garments than to go au naturel?