The Omicron Covid-19 variant is able to break through booster vaccine shots, according to a South African scientist who has conducted a small study of the variant in patients.
Scientist Wolfgang Preiser, a virologist at Stellenbosch University and one of the study’s co-authors, said research on seven German visitor-patients in Cape Town showed infection was possible and caused symptomatic disease even after boosted immunisation.
Of the group, six were fully vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, of whom five had a booster Pfizer shot – while the sixth had received a booster dose of the Moderna vaccine, Preiser said.
A seventh had received an initial dose of AstraZeneca’s vaccine, followed by a second and then third booster dose of Pfizer, he said, adding that none had reported past infections with Covid-19.
The infections occurred between one and two months after receipt of the booster shot, the virologist said.
Despite this finding, Preiser said vaccination was still an essential tool in the fight against the pandemic.
“It still protects against severe disease and death. We are quite sure about that,” Preiser said.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Joe Phaahla on Friday urged everyone to take the Covid-19 jab in their numbers during the festive season after announcing that vaccination sites would remain open over the holiday period.
“We call upon South Africans to celebrate this festive season with a lot of caution, especially with regard to alcohol consumption,” Phaahla said.
He added: “And jab before you jive.”
NM/jn/APA