Omicron has ability to evade immunity from prior infection

New Delhi, Dec 03: A preliminary study by South African scientists says that the Omicron variant is associated with a substantial ability to evade immunity from prior infection.

It also said that the variant is likely to cause more reinfections compared to the Beta or Delta variants.

In a tweet, Juliet Pulliam, director of the South African DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis said, recent reinfections have occurred in individuals whose primary infections occurred across all three waves, with the most having their primary infection in the Delta wave.

Data are also urgently needed on disease severity associated with Omicron infection, including in individuals with a history of prior infection, Pulliam also said.