Hiam Souheil Chemaitelly Assistant Professor of Research in Population Health Sciences Population Health Sciences Weill Cornell Medical College 

15 Jun Vaccination Provides Protection Against COVID-19 Severity and Enhances Protection for Those with Prior Infection Against Reinfection With New Variants

Posted at 21:44h in Author Interviews, COVID -19 Coronavirus, Vaccine Studies by

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Hiam Souheil Chemaitelly Assistant Professor of Research in Population Health Sciences Population Health Sciences Weill Cornell Medical College 

Dr. Chemaitelly

Hiam Souheil Chemaitelly Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Research in Population Health Sciences
Population Health Sciences
Weill Cornell Medical College  

MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study?   

Response: The Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 variants resulted in a large wave of infections. The level of protection provided by prior infection or vaccination with Pfizer and Moderna mRNA vaccines or a combination of both against infection with Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 subvariants was unknown.

MedicalResearch.com:  What are the main findings? 

Response: The study showed that prior infection combined with three doses of mRNA vaccination was strongly protective against symptomatic Omicron infection and against severe, critical, or fatal COVID-19. Meanwhile, two dose vaccination alone was not associated with significant protection against symptomatic infection. Booster vaccination provided only 60% protection against infection but waned rapidly thereafter. However, vaccination was associated with >70% protection against severe, critical, or fatal COVID-19.

Prior SARS-CoV-2 infection alone was associated with 50% protection against symptomatic Omicron infection, and did not appear to wane even a year after infection.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: Vaccination provides protection against COVID-19 severity and enhances protection for those with prior infection against reinfection with new variants.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work?

Response: The study findings highlight the importance of better understanding the rapid waning in vaccine-induced immunity in contrast to natural immunity and to develop coronavirus vaccines that are broadly protective against different variants with long-lasting protection.

I have no competing interests to declare.

Citation:

Effect of prior infection, vaccination, and hybrid immunity against symptomatic BA.1 and BA.2 Omicron infections and severe COVID-19 in Qatar
Heba N. Altarawneh, M.D., Hiam Chemaitelly, Ph.D., Houssein H. Ayoub, Ph.D., Patrick Tang, M.D., Ph.D., Mohammad R. Hasan, Ph.D., Hadi M. Yassine, Ph.D., Hebah A. Al-Khatib, Ph.D., Maria K. Smatti, M.Sc., Peter Coyle, M.D., Zaina Al-Kanaani, Ph.D., Einas Al-Kuwari, M.D., Andrew Jeremijenko, M.D., 
June 15, 2022
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2203965

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Last Updated on June 15, 2022 by Marie Benz MD FAAD

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