If I have been infected with omicron, can I be reinfected with this variant?

Ómicron turned out to be the most contagious of the strains that COVID-19 has left us so far, and this variant of the virus developed mutations that allow it to adhere more easily to human cells. Doubt still persists as to whether a person is capable of being reinfected with this lineage. The answer will surprise you.

El País picked up the version of Nuria Izquierdo-Useros, Ph.D. in Biology, head of the emerging pathogens group at the IrsiCaixa institute. She suggests that it will depend on the amount of neutralizing antibodies that the patient has so that he becomes infected again.

If the sick person has few antibodies, there is a much greater chance that they will be infected again. Despite having little information on omicronscience suggests that after the passage of the variant Delta (less infectious, but more lethal) to this new lineage some conclusions can be drawn.

The truth is omicron it spreads faster because it is able to escape the immunity obtained from vaccination or a first infection by other variants; therefore, it is possible that a person who has been infected with ómicron could be infected again with this variant or the possible ones that come later.

Studies have shown that a person who had COVID-19 obtains a higher level of neutralizing antibodies; however, if a long period has elapsed after the infection, the amount of neutralizing antibodies decreases, which increases the risk of recontagion.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from the United States indicate that among people who have had a coronavirus infection, vaccination provides additional protection against reinfection.

The same happens with vaccinated people who were never infected. Over time, its neutralizing antibodies decrease, so the who recommended a booster dose to increase the protective barrier. In some countries, even a fourth dose is already applied.

The chances of reinfection could increase if a new infection appears. variant more contagious or lethal than omicron. This virus could escape the immunity generated by omicron, the other variants or vaccination.

As mentioned at the beginning, the appearance of the omicron has greatly increased the risk of reinfection. In the 49th report of the Center for the Analysis of Global Diseases of the United Kingdom it is detailed that it is associated with an increased risk of reinfection between 4.8 and 6 times more than with the delta variant.

To curb the increase in cases of contagion by omicronthe specialist assured that higher amounts of neutralizing antibodies are needed, so tests with vaccines designed to specifically fight this variant have already begun.

It is worth mentioning that, despite being more contagious, omicron is not as lethal as Delta and the risk of hospitalization and death is lower.