Vaccine T-cells may hold robust defensive line against Omicron variant: study
- Researchers in Hong Kong and Australia say T-cell responses induced by vaccines and previous infections might help protect against severe illness
- But cases might rise because of Omicron’s ability to evade antibodies
The highly mutated coronavirus variant Omicron might be able to evade the body’s first line of immune defence but is unlikely to make it through the second – T-cells, according to the results of a computational study.
But the number of infections might rise because of Omicron’s ability to evade the first line of defence – antibodies, which block infection and prevent transmission.
“Robust T-cell immunity provides hope that, similar to other variants of concern, the level of protection against severe disease would remain high,” said the scientists, from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and the University of Melbourne.
“If T-cell responses hold up, they are likely to assist in limiting disease severity in infections caused by Omicron that seemingly escapes neutralising antibodies.”
The World Health Organization estimates the Omicron variant has 26 to 32 mutations in the spike protein, the part of the virus that attaches to human cells. That compares with the eight mutations seen in the Delta variant’s spike protein.