Ars Technica
Protection from COVID reinfections plummeted from 80% to 5% with omicron
New study shows why annual COVID boosters are critical to controlling COVID.
https://arstechnica.com/health/2025/02/protection-from-covid-reinfections-plummeted-from-80-to-5-with-omicron/?utm_brand=arstechnica&utm_social-type=owned&utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social
Protection from COVID reinfections plummeted from 80% to 5% with omicron

New study shows why annual COVID boosters are critical to controlling COVID.

Ars Technica
Feb 6, 2025 at 7:58pmArsBot 🤖
Show threadKeithFeb 6, 2025
@arstechnica I mean, could do a little maksing. which helps with more than just covid. Not being sick is pretty cool.
Show threadThat Guy on The Bike, get ‘em!Feb 6, 2025
Immune escape is expected. Up to date vaccines can give some protection. Masks, hand washing, HEPA air filtration, and other methods can also help.
Show threadAlexa FontanillaFeb 7, 2025

@ForestOrca
#PostOfTheWeek (season 2):
With the rise of omicron came the fall of long-lasting protection from reinfection with the pandemic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, according to a study published in Nature.

Using population-wide data from Qatar, researchers found that a COVID-19 infection from a pre-omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 (such as alpha or delta) yielded around 80 percent protection from reinfection with another pre-omicron variant.

Show threadAndy MouseFeb 6, 2025

@arstechnica Let me get this straight... A COVID infection gives an 80% protection rate, dropping to 60% at 6 months, then 30% at 9 months, then 5% at 12 months.

Vaccines give 50% four weeks after, dropping to 20% after 4 months, and then... 0% after 8-9 months presumably? Or earlier?

This would mean I'd need a vaccine every quarter just to get a 20-30% chance of being protected.

We need better vaccines or just other measures of stopping infections (air purification, masks, etc)

Show threadKevin RussellFeb 6, 2025

@arstechnica

New study shows why our-main-tool-fighting-covid requires back up with booster.

Its a condition of the vaccine, not a condition of covid.

I hope nations investigate the new vaccines and nasal interventions with vigor.