Virologists doubted the conclusions about the danger of "omicron" for recovered patients

The increased danger of the omicron strain for those who have recovered from the CORONAVIRUS, which was identified by South African scientists, raises questions and needs more detailed research. This was stated by Professor of Virology, HEAD of the Laboratory of Especially Dangerous Infections of the Federal Research Center for Fundamental and Translational Medicine Alexander Chepurnov and Scientific DIRECTOR of the Research Institute of Vaccines and Serums. I.I. Mechnikov Vitaly Zverev, writes "Lenta.ru".

Research data from scientists from South Africa, who said that people who have had coronavirus become infected with “omicron” more often than those who did not get sick at all, can talk about the phenomenon of “antibody-dependent increase in infection,” Chepurnov said. According to him, it gives the virus additional ways to enter the body. If this property is confirmed by more detailed studies, then scientists will have to develop new vaccines with a different structure.

At the same time, researchers from South Africa did not provide data on how the new version of the virus reacts to existing vaccines. In addition, there is not enough information about the course of the disease to conclude that those who have previously had coronavirus are more severely ill, Chepurnov noted.

“So far, I would say that there are more questions than any meaningful information, but what is in this article is rather unpleasant,” the virologist said.