Existing coronavirus vaccines are unlikely to not work at all with the new variant Omicron. But they may work less.

This was stated by Prof. Todor Kantardzhiev on bTV. He reminded that the EC has signed an agreement with Pfizer that if a dangerous mutation of the virus occurs, the manufacturer is ready to provide an adapted vaccine in 100 days.

Omicron has been identified as a concern for several reasons. First, whether it spreads faster than the other variants; second - whether it is caught by the current tests; third, whether it is capable of immunological escape. The third reason scares me the most, stressed Prof. Kantardzhiev.

We must have a readiness to examine more people and, very importantly, to send materials for sequencing suspicious people quickly, the professor believes.

More than 50 mutations in the strain are known - this is scary. My call is to wear masks, not to gather unreasonably many people in one place.

"Young people with two vaccines will be protected in the coming years. The immune memory remains for years. My opinion is that the third dose should be used to vaccinate adults and those with compromised immune systems, said the professor.

/OFFNews

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