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Preparing for omicron also involves hard decisions about choice of vaccine, given the fact that the technical briefing issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) includes data which suggest that vaccination with 2 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine does not mitigate the risk of occurrence of omicron-related breakthrough symptomatic infection 15-19 weeks post full vaccination. By contrast, 15-19 weeks after full vaccination with 2 doses of the Pfizer vaccine the vaccinee enjoys approximately 38% mitigation of the risk of omicron-related symptomatic breakthrough infection. Fortunately, a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine is associated with nearly 80% efficacy in mitigating the risk of symptomatic omicron-related symptomatic infection in subjects previously vaccinated with AstraZeneca vaccine, and in subjects previously vaccinated with Pfizer vaccine (1).
Accordingly, in the context of omicron-related infection, it seems prudent to adopt a vaccination strategy that relies solely on mRNA-based vaccines, and that might also prove to be the optimum strategy to combat any other breakthrough infections attributed to new covid-19 mutants.
References
(1) Andrews N., Stowe J., Kirsebom F et al. Effectiveness of COVID-19 mvaccines against the Omicron (B.1.529) variant of concern. UK Health Security Agency. SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and variants under investigation in England Technical Briefing 31, December 13th 2021
Re: Preparing for Omicron as a covid veteran
Dear Editor
Preparing for omicron also involves hard decisions about choice of vaccine, given the fact that the technical briefing issued by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) includes data which suggest that vaccination with 2 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine does not mitigate the risk of occurrence of omicron-related breakthrough symptomatic infection 15-19 weeks post full vaccination. By contrast, 15-19 weeks after full vaccination with 2 doses of the Pfizer vaccine the vaccinee enjoys approximately 38% mitigation of the risk of omicron-related symptomatic breakthrough infection. Fortunately, a booster dose of the Pfizer vaccine is associated with nearly 80% efficacy in mitigating the risk of symptomatic omicron-related symptomatic infection in subjects previously vaccinated with AstraZeneca vaccine, and in subjects previously vaccinated with Pfizer vaccine (1).
Accordingly, in the context of omicron-related infection, it seems prudent to adopt a vaccination strategy that relies solely on mRNA-based vaccines, and that might also prove to be the optimum strategy to combat any other breakthrough infections attributed to new covid-19 mutants.
References
(1) Andrews N., Stowe J., Kirsebom F et al. Effectiveness of COVID-19 mvaccines against the Omicron (B.1.529) variant of concern. UK Health Security Agency. SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and variants under investigation in England Technical Briefing 31, December 13th 2021
Competing interests: No competing interests