Scientists are urging people to get boosters as omicron was found to reduce the antibodies that fight the coronavirus

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However, the researchers said other parts of the immune system may still be protective, and they argued that there is no evidence that the new alternative increases the risk of serious illness or death or stops vaccines being effective against more serious diseases.

Professor Matthew Snape, Professor of Pediatrics and Vaccines at Oxford University, said: “Ultimately, it’s one piece of the picture and we still haven’t established a threshold for protection and enough to prevent infection or severe illness, or hospitalization and death.

“It might be a 30-fold reduction, but you are in fact still protected from severe illness and hospitalization. Importantly, we have not yet evaluated the effect of a third booster dose, which we know significantly increases antibody concentrations, potentially resulting in a Improved efficacy against an omicron variant”.

Hopes for T-cell immunity against omicron

Last week, the first Johns Hopkins University study of T-cell immunity against omicron, found that memory cells hold up well against the variant, suggesting that vaccines will still work against severe disease.

T cells provide broader, longer-lasting protection from antibodies, and even if they do not prevent infection, they can prevent disease from becoming dangerous. However, the researchers said the new numbers show the importance of the reinforcement.

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