Four preliminary laboratory studies released over the weekend found that antibodies from previous infections and vaccinations appear capable of neutralizing the variant, known as BA.2.86.
“It is reassuring,” says Dr. Dan Barouch, who conducted one of the studies at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
When it was first spotted, BA.2.86 set off alarm bells. It contains more than 30 mutations on the spike protein the virus uses to infect cells. That’s a level of mutation on par with the original Omicron variant, which caused a massive surge.
The concern was BA.2.86, while still rare, could sneak around the immunity people had built up and cause another huge, deadly wave.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Scientists have produced the first data indicating that a variant that has raised alarm is unlikely to pose a big new COVID-19 threat.
Four preliminary laboratory studies released over the weekend found that antibodies from previous infections and vaccinations appear capable of neutralizing the variant, known as BA.2.86.
“It is reassuring,” says Dr. Dan Barouch, who conducted one of the studies at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
“When something heavily mutated comes out of nowhere … there’s this risk that it’s dramatically different and that it changes the nature of the pandemic,” says Benjamin Murrell, who conducted one of the other studies at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
The Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve new vaccines soon that target a more recent omicron subvariant than the original shots.
“I wish the booster was already out,” says Dr. Peter Hotez of the Baylor College of Medicine, noting that yet another wave of infections has already begun increasing the number of people catching the virus and getting so sick that they’re ending up in the hospital and dying.
The original article contains 451 words, the summary contains 182 words. Saved 60%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
cool, I got my last shot like 6 ish months ago. Guess I’ll wait till this one comes out and take it.