What does appearance of Omicron mean for the double-jabbed?

We find out how much protection Covid vaccines may offer amid speculation new variant could be more resistantCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageThe emergence of Omicron has prompted widespread speculation that it may be more resistant to Covid-19 vaccines than existing variants, including Delta. But what does that mean for the average double-vaccinated person?All the vaccines currently available in the UK work by training the immune system against the coronavirus spike protein – the key it uses to infect cells by binding to the ACE2 receptor. Omicron possesses more than 30 mutations in this protein, including 10 in the so-called “receptor-binding domain” (RBD) – the specific part that latches on to this receptor. Delta has two RBD mutations.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Coronavirus Vaccines and immunisation UK news Health Society Science Immunology Source Type: news