Latest Study Published In The Lancet Shows That Boosters Shots Of mRNA Vaccines Do Not Prevent Omicron Breakthrough Infections!

Researchers from the University of the Western Cape-South Africa, University of Stellenbosch Tygerberg Campus-South Africa and the University Hospital, LMU Munich-Germany have found in a new study that that booster shots of mRNA vaccines do not prevent omicron breakthrough infections!


 
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: The Lancet. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(22)00090-3/fulltext
 
The study findings were based on clinical case studies involving a group of German visitors who had received three doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, including at least two doses of an mRNA vaccine but yet experienced breakthrough infections with omicron variant between late November and early December, 2021, while in Cape Town, South Africa.
 
Thailand Medical News had already covered the review of the study while it was published as a preprint. https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-small-study-by-stellenbosch-university-shows-that-omicron-variant-is-still-breaking-through-booster-shots-despite-claims-by-the-west
 
There as also another study published a day later by Chinese researchers also showing that booster shots were not capable to offer protection against the Omicron variant. https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/another-study,-this-time-by-chinese-researchers-shows-that-omicron-variant-exhibits-significant-escape-from-neutralization-induced-by-booster-shots
 
A UK Study even showed that so called “protection” from booster shots against disease severity and mortality decreases after about ten weeks.
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/oops-preliminary-data-from-uk-shows-that-protection-by-covid-19-booster-shots-wanes-in-about-ten-weeks-when-dealing-with-omicron-variant
 
A Finnish study also showed that booster shots do not really work in the elderly. https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-booster-efficacy-questioned-helsinki-study-shows-only-minimal-nab-titers-against-omicron-among-the-elderly-following-booster-shot
To date numerous other studies have also emerged questioning the efficacy of the COVID vaccines against disease severity and hospitalization and also against mortality.
 
To date, data from around the world are showing that many fully vaccinated individuals who h ave received booster shots are not only experiencing breakthrough infections but are also developing disease severity and being hospitalized and a small percentage have also died, questioning the true efficacy of these vaccines.
 
In the south African study, the group consisted of five White women and two White men) with an average age of 27·7 years (range 25–39) and a mean body-mass index of 22·2 kg/m2 (range 17·9–29·4), with no relevant medical history. Upon arrival during the first half of November, 2021, each individual tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 by PCR and provided records of complete vaccination, including booster or third, doses administered via intramuscular injection using homologous (n=5) and heterologous (n=2) vaccination courses.
 
Six of the individuals were fully vaccinated with BNT162b2 (Comirnaty, Pfizer–BioNTech, Mainz, Germany), five of whom received a third (booster) dose of BNT162b2 in October or early November, 2021. One individual had received a full dose of CX-024414 (Spikevax, Moderna, Cambridge, MA, USA) in early October, 2021; this was not in line with the European Medicines Agency recommendations at that time, which suggested a half dose to boost healthy individuals.
 
The seventh individual received an initial dose of ChAdOx1-S (Vaxzevria, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK), followed by a dose of BNT162b2 for completion of primary immunisation, and a booster dose of the same vaccine. Except for the CX-024414 booster, all vaccinations were in accordance with European recommendations.
 
During a marked increase in incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections in the Western Cape province, these individuals observed onset of respiratory symptoms between Nov 30 and Dec 2, 2021. SARS-CoV-2 infections were diagnosed by ISO 15189-accredited diagnostic laboratories using molecular assays approved by the national regulator.
 
The study team obtained swab and serum samples 2–4 days after onset of symptoms. All patients were placed in domestic isolation and used a daily symptom diary to document the course of disease during the observation period of 21 days.
 
Illness was classified as mild (n=4) or moderate (n=3; shortness of breath) according to National Institutes of Health COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines. Two individuals were asymptomatic by the end of the observation period (day 21). Blood oxygenation levels (SPO2) remained in the normal range (>94%) without exception and none of the patients required hospitalization.
 
All seven individuals were infected with omicron (PANGO lineage B.1.1.529, Nextstrain clade 21K). Viral loads ranged from 4·07 to 8·22 (mean 6·38) log10 viral RNA copies per mL of swab eluate. Anti-spike antibody levels ranged from 15 000 arbitrary units (AU) per mL to more than 40 000 AU/mL, with a mean of approximately 22 000 AU/mL of serum.
 
Robust CD4 and CD8 T-cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike, nucleocapsid, and membrane proteins were detected in six of the participants tested after a minimum of 2 weeks after onset of symptoms, at frequencies of 0·011–0·192% for CD4+ and 0·004–0·079% for CD8+ T cells.
 
These clinical cases were the first documented breakthrough infections with the omicron variant in fully vaccinated individuals after receipt of booster vaccine doses. Some of these individuals had received heterologous vaccine doses, in line with emerging global practice. Booster doses were administered 21–37 weeks after the second vaccine doses, and breakthrough infections occurred 22–59 days thereafter. At the onset of their breakthrough infections, all individuals had high levels of viral spike protein binding antibodies, similar to levels reported 4 weeks following second vaccine doses and as expected after receipt of booster vaccine doses.
 
In this group of individuals, an average of 6·38 viral RNA copies per mL of eluted swab was detected, with the highest viral load (8·22) detected on day 4 after onset of symptoms. This suggests that the individuals were infectious, in keeping with the occurrence of infection clusters sparing none of the members of the two groups.
 
Specific T-cell responses were detected in all participants tested at least 2 weeks after symptom onset, in the range reported after vaccination, with additional T-cell responses to the viral nucleocapsid and membrane proteins.

The mild to moderate course of illness suggests that full vaccination followed by a booster dose still provides good protection against severe disease caused by omicron. However, we cannot exclude long-term sequelae of COVID-19.
 
The study findings are limited to a low number of individuals in relatively young and otherwise healthy individuals (n=7). This case series adds further evidence that, as predicted, omicron is able to evade immunity induced by mRNA vaccines in vivo.
 
South Africa only recently introduced booster vaccinations for individuals immunized with two doses of BNT162b2, so the presence of this group from Germany presented a unique opportunity to study omicron breakthrough infections in individuals with mRNA vaccine boosters.
 
In-vitro data suggest lower titres of neutralizing antibodies against omicron compared to other SARS-CoV-2 lineages following BNT162b2 vaccination but increased titres after a third dose, supporting calls for booster doses while the omicron variant appears to be spreading globally.
 
The study findings however, demonstrates insufficient prevention of symptomatic infection in otherwise healthy individuals who had received three doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines.
 
These study findings support the need for updated vaccines to provide better protection against symptomatic infection with omicron and emphasize that non-pharmaceutical measures should be maintained.
 
Studies involving fourth COVID vaccine dosing in Israel is showing lackluster results and even the WHO is recommending against it. https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/breaking-preliminary-study-findings-on-israel-s-fourth-dose-reveals-unimpressive-results-and-raises-questions-about-fourth-dose-programs
 
https://fortune.com/2022/01/12/ema-who-covid-fourth-boosters-pfizer-flu-endemic/
 
In the meanwhile, stupid American, European and Canadian dictators are pushing for vaccine mandates, vaccine passports and even fining poor old individuals who do not wish to get vaccinated!
 
Perhaps to be fair, these dictators should also introduce new laws in which all fully vaccinated who develop breakthrough infections are immediately culled as new emerging research data is showing that the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants have greater potential to develop concerning mutations in those that were fully vaccinated!
 
There is a dire need for COVID-19 vaccines that specifically target the new emerging variants and also vaccines that use a safer platform or strategy without causing any adverse effects.
 
For more on the inefficacy of the current COVID-19 Vaccines, keep on logging to Thailand Medical News.