HKU Study: Vaccination Booster Can Effectively Reduce Omicron Infection

　　China News Agency, Hong Kong, January 4th (Reporter Han Xingtong) The research team of the University of Hong Kong (HKU) found that timely vaccination of the third dose of the new crown vaccine can significantly reduce the rate of Omicron breakthrough infection and the severity of infection, and also The potency of neutralizing antibodies against mutant virus strains can be enhanced.

　　It is reported that the relevant research was conducted by a research team from the HKU AIDS Research Institute, the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, HKU Faculty of Medicine, and the State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases. The research was based on 470 local public officials who had been vaccinated with different new crown vaccines The relationship between the immune antibody and cellular immune response of the vaccinators after three doses of vaccine, and the infection and clinical characteristics of the Omicron mutant strain BA.2 was studied.

　　The results of the study found that the third dose of the vaccine in vaccinators could activate spike protein (S)-specific memory B cells and T cells that could cross-react with Omicron, which was associated with fewer breakthrough infections and fewer severe cases, but the vaccine Type is irrelevant.

In simple terms, three doses of the vaccine significantly reduced the chance of BA.2 breakthrough infection, as well as the severity of infection, compared with two doses.

　　Zhou Runhong, Research Assistant Professor of the Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, HKU, pointed out that this study is very important for the prevention of Omicron BA.2 and the reduction of severe illness.

BA.2 breakthrough infection can enhance neutralizing antibodies against the original virus strain in vaccinators, so the team needs to further monitor and study the cross-protection of Omicron breakthrough infection and newly introduced bivalent vaccines against new virus strains.

　　Chen Zhiwei, professor of the Department of Microbiology of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Hong Kong and director of the AIDS Research Institute, who led the study, said that it is encouraging that the study proves that the Kexing vaccine can quickly recall the induced memory B cells and T cells to prevent infection. Omicron breakthrough infection.

He believes that the research team should continue to monitor the emergence of highly pathogenic immune escape virus strains to prevent them from attacking vaccinated people.

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