Highly Mutated COVID-19 Virus Completely Neutralizes Antibodies [Reading Science]

The World on High Alert for 'Omicron'... What We Know and Don't Know

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] The emergence of the new COVID-19 variant 'Omicron' has sent the world into a state of fear. However, there is still much that humanity does not understand about Omicron. It has been confirmed that its transmission speed is much faster than other variants such as Delta. Research has already shown that the coronavirus, after numerous mutations, can have 'complete' resistance to antibodies. That said, vaccination is not unnecessary. Experts agree that vaccination remains essential to prevent severe cases, and the fatality rate requires further observation.

◇ 3 to 6 Times Faster Than Delta

According to the international academic journal Nature on the 4th, what infectious disease experts are most concerned about is the rapid spread of the Omicron variant. In South Africa, where Omicron was first reported, 8,561 new infections were confirmed on the 1st, more than double the 3,402 cases recorded on the 26th of last month. Most cases occurred in Gauteng Province near the capital, Johannesburg. The reproduction number, which indicates the number of new cases generated by one infected person, is well above 2. This is the first time since the early COVID-19 pandemic last year. During the Delta variant spread in September, it was below 1, but infections surged after Omicron appeared. Professor Tom Wenseleers of Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium explained to Nature, "It is estimated that the Omicron variant can infect 3 to 6 times more people than the Delta variant within the same time frame."

Infectious disease experts are currently monitoring how Omicron spreads within other regions of South Africa and across countries worldwide to better understand its transmissibility. Professor Christian Althaus of the University of Bern in Switzerland said, "If the South African case is repeated in other countries, it will be strong evidence that Omicron has superior transmissibility. If not, for example, if rapid spread does not occur in Europe, the situation will be more complex, meaning the transmission speed heavily depends on the environment, so we need to wait and see."

Meanwhile, Nature reported signs of rapid spread of Omicron in the UK as well. Recent test statistics show preliminary signs of increasing Omicron infections, although the numbers are still small. Professor Althaus said, "This is not a situation we want to see at this point, but it suggests that Omicron could spread rapidly in the UK too."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

◇ Has It Acquired Antibody Evasion?

Experts suggest that the rapid spread of Omicron in South Africa indicates it has antibody evasion capabilities. For example, South Africa's vaccination completion rate is only about 25%, but considering the sharp rise in mortality during the early pandemic, many people may have been infected and recovered, thus possessing antibodies. Despite this, the rapid spread suggests Omicron has immune evasion properties. According to a preliminary report published on the 2nd by South Africa's National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), reinfection rates have surged since Omicron's emergence. This also implies that Omicron can spread and become dominant even in areas with high vaccination rates.

Accordingly, Professor Penny Moore's research team at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg is focusing on studying Omicron's antibody neutralization capacity. The team is conducting experiments using a 'virtual coronavirus' with 32 spike protein mutations like Omicron. Additionally, the Africa Health Research Institute in Durban is testing whether live coronavirus exhibits antibody neutralization resistance. A team member said, "The mutations found in Omicron's spike protein are very concerning regarding its strong transmissibility. For now, we must wait for research results."

Previous studies have shown that the more mutations in the spike protein?the means by which the coronavirus invades human cells?the stronger the antibody evasion. In a paper published in Nature last September, a research team from Rockefeller University in New York City reported that coronaviruses with many spike protein mutations have complete resistance to antibodies. They experimented by inducing multiple spike protein mutations similar to Omicron in a detoxified coronavirus and confirmed that antibodies from mRNA vaccine recipients or recovered patients had no neutralizing effect.

◇ Vaccination Is Necessary

However, even if Omicron possesses immune evasion, it does not mean that vaccines or infection-induced antibodies are completely ineffective. Professor Miles Davenport of the University of New South Wales in Sydney told Nature, "Research so far shows that even if some antibodies are neutralized, they still help prevent severe COVID-19." Some scientists are focusing on Omicron's impact on the body's main immune systems, such as T-cells and other immune responses. Although Omicron may spread faster than previous variants, its adverse effects on other immune systems might be less severe, potentially resulting in lower fatality rates. Professor Shabir Madhi of the University of the Witwatersrand said, "When the Beta variant spread last year, the AstraZeneca vaccine provided some protection against infection and reduced severe cases in South Africa, and in Canada, it reduced hospitalization rates by 80%. If Omicron causes a similar situation, there could be a surge in new, breakthrough, and reinfections, but hospitalization rates might decrease." Indeed, the South African government reported that most breakthrough infections among initial Omicron cases were mild.

The emergence of Omicron has prompted booster shots in wealthy countries like the US and UK. However, it is still unclear how effective boosters are against Omicron. Professor Paul Bieniasz of Rockefeller University said, "A third dose could increase antibodies enough to neutralize Omicron's evasion capabilities. People repeatedly exposed to the coronavirus spike protein through vaccination or infection are more likely to develop the ability to neutralize Omicron."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

◇ How Powerful Is the Omicron Variant?

So far, most patients infected with Omicron show mild or no symptoms, raising hopeful prospects that deaths may not surge as with previous variants. Historical examples like the 1910s Spanish flu show that over about three years, transmissibility increased while fatality rates decreased, leading to natural decline.

However, experts caution against complacency. Most reported patients in South Africa are relatively young, but COVID-19 tends to cause severe illness in older adults. Therefore, experts are closely monitoring Omicron cases in other countries. Larger sample sizes are needed to generalize early reports. To accurately assess Omicron's fatality rate, precise studies comparing two groups controlled for age, vaccination status, health, and socioeconomic factors are necessary.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.