UK scientists: Two doses of a Covid vaccine are not enough to stop Omicron
December 11, 2021, 4:41 am

UK scientists: Two doses of a Covid vaccine are not enough to stop Omicron

Laboratory-COVID-19 vaccine test/Pixabay

The BBC reported that UK scientists have warned, two doses of a Covid vaccine are not enough to stop you catching the Omicron variant.

It mentioned that early analysis of UK Omicron and Delta cases showed the vaccines were less effective at stopping the new variant.

But a third booster prevents around 75% of people getting any Covid symptoms.

One of the main concerns since the heavily-mutated Omicron variant first emerged was that it would make vaccines less effective.

The UK Health Security Agency report analysed data from 581 Omicron cases and thousands of Delta cases to calculate how effective the vaccines were against the new variant.

COVID-19-Virus/Pixabay

The analysis is based on limited data, but showed a dramatic drop in effectiveness for the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and a significant drop off for two doses of Pfizer.

The 75% protection against Covid symptoms after a booster is not as high as against previous variants.

There was not enough data to analyse the Moderna or Janssen vaccines, but there is no reason to think they would have different results.

However, the UK Health Security Agency said vaccines were still likely to offer good protection against severe Covid that needed hospital treatment.

So far, around 22 million people have received a booster dose, but even if everyone was boosted the lower vaccine effectiveness would still leave millions of people susceptible.

The real-world data backs up laboratory studies that showed a 40-fold reduction in the ability of antibodies from double-vaccinated people to take out the virus.

There is optimism that vaccines will still keep many people out of hospital even if more do get Covid. Data on severity could be published next week.

However, an Omicron wave could be problematic even if it was milder. A large and sudden wave could lead to everyone who is still vulnerable needing hospital care at the same time.

Source: BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”