Differential protection against SARS-CoV-2 reinfection pre- and post-Omicron

Abstract The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly evolved over short timescales, leading to the emergence of more transmissible variants such as Alpha and Delta 1–3 . The arrival of the Omicron variant marked a major shift, introducing numerous extra mutations in the spike gene compared with earlier variants 1,2 . These evolutionary changes have raised concerns regarding their potential impact on immune evasion, disease severity and the effectiveness of vaccines and treatments 1,3 . In this epidemiological study, we identified two distinct patterns in the protective effect of natural infection against reinfection in the Omicron versus pre-Omicron eras. Before Omicron,…

• HM
  Hamad Medical Corporation
• SM
  Sidra Medicine
• QU
  Qatar University
• WC
  Weill Cornell Medical College
• WC
  Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar