Virologists Butenko and Chumakov: group-specific immunity will protect against the omicron strain
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Professor, virologist of the National Research Center for Epidemiology and Microbiology named after N.F. Gamaleys of the Ministry of Health of Russia Alexander Butenko and virologist, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, head of the laboratory at the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology Pyotr Chumakov, in an interview with URA.RU, told what mechanism in the body would help to avoid infection with the omicron strain of coronavirus.
Butenko said that the combination of different genotypes of the virus forms collective group-specific immunity in people, which is able to protect against several variations of infection at the same time. The virologist called this mechanism a way to protect against the omicron strain of COVID-19.
“People can meet not once, but twice, and not with one kind of coronavirus, but with two and three during a period. This will provide herd immunity along with vaccination. And group-specific immunities will be created that will protect against different variants, ”the virologist emphasized.
Chumakov agreed with his colleague's opinion. He added that the S-protein of the omicron has changed so much that it is less recognized by antibodies formed after vaccination. However, in addition to this type of protein, viruses have a number of other antigens that are formed after an illness.
“Therefore, when he encounters an omicron, he is already protected, because other antigens begin to work. This is group-specific immunity. It refers to the entire group of antigens that are present in the coronavirus, “Chumakov concluded.
Earlier, Butenko named two scenarios for the end of the coronavirus pandemic. In his opinion, the term of its completion depends on the immune layer of the population and the mutagenicity of COVID-19.
