XBB Variant Up to 21 Times More Evasive to Vaccine Antibodies Than BA.5
Omicron subvariants BQ.1.1 and XBB.1 were more effective at escaping neutralizing antibodies compared with the BA.5 variant following both monovalent and bivalent mRNA boosters, new data suggested. In 15 participants who had received a monovalent mRNA booster in 2022, neutralizing antibody titers against BA.5 were seven times higher than those for BQ.1.1, and 17 times […]
Vax Protection Fades Fast Against BA.4/5-Related Hospitalizations
Vaccine protection against hospitalization from the latest Omicron subvariants deteriorates rapidly, even after a third dose, new data from South Africa indicated, suggesting that annual boosters might not cut it for high-risk people. With the primary two-dose series of Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine, effectiveness against BA.4/5-related hospitalization slipped from 47.4% after 3-4 months (95% CI 19.9-65.5) […]
What to Know About the New BA.2.75 Omicron Subvariant
Even as BA.4 and BA.5 continue to climb the charts, crowding out earlier Omicron subvariants, scientists are warning about an even newer strain: BA.2.75. Tom Peacock, PhD, a virologist at Imperial College London, tweeted on June 30, “worth keeping a close eye on BA.2.75 — lots of spike mutations, probable second generation variant, apparent rapid […]
Two New Omicron Subvariants Gain Ground in U.S.
Latest Coronavirus News THURSDAY, June 9, 2022 The Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 are spreading rapidly in the United States, but it’s not yet clear if they’ll trigger a new wave of infections or a surge in hospitalizations and deaths, experts say. The subvariants now account for 13% of new coronavirus cases nationwide, compared with […]