Omicron gives better immune responses than booster shot, reveal Studies

News Network
May 16, 2022

People who are vaccinated and then get infected with Omicron may be primed to overcome a broad range of coronavirus variants, early research suggests.  

A pair of studies showed that infection produced even better immune responses than a booster shot in vaccinated patients. Teams from Covid-19 vaccine maker BioNTech SE and the University of Washington posted the results on preprint server bioRxiv in recent weeks.

The findings offer a reassuring sign that the millions of vaccinated people who’ve caught Omicron probably won’t become seriously ill from another variant soon -- even though the research needs to be confirmed, especially by real-world evidence. 

“We should think about breakthrough infections as essentially equivalent to another dose of vaccine,” said John Wherry, a professor and director of the Institute for Immunology at the University of Pennsylvania who wasn’t involved in the research but reviewed the BioNTech study. That could mean that if someone had Covid recently, they could wait before getting another booster shot, according to Wherry. 

Alexandra Walls, a principal scientist at the University of Washington who authored one of the studies, cautioned that people shouldn’t seek out infections in response to the findings.

The data comes as Omicron continues to fuel outbreaks around the world, most notably in China, where residents of Shanghai have endured almost six weeks of lockdown. Waves of new variants are coming more quickly in part because Omicron is so transmissible, giving it ample opportunity to spread and mutate as countries drop restrictions, said Sam Fazeli, an analyst with Bloomberg Intelligence. Meanwhile, regulators are weighing whether Covid vaccines should be updated to target Omicron.

BioNTech’s team argued that the data indicate that offering people an Omicron-adapted booster shot may be more beneficial than multiple ones with the original vaccines.

The Washington research, conducted together with Vir Biotechnology Inc., looked at blood samples from people who had been infected, and then had two or three doses of vaccine, as well as those who’d caught the delta and Omicron variants after two or three doses; others still had been vaccinated and boosted but never caught Covid. A final group had only been infected with Omicron and never vaccinated.

One part of the study zeroed in on antibodies, the protective proteins tailored to recognise and neutralise invaders. It showed vaccinated people who’d caught Omicron had antibodies that outperformed the others. They were even capable of recognizing and attacking the very different delta variants. 

“That indicates that we are at the point where we may want to consider having a different vaccine to boost people,” said David Veesler, an assistant professor at the University of Washington, who led the research. The scientists were also able to identify antibodies in the nasal mucous of these patients, which could help them neutralise the virus as soon as it enters the body. 

Nasal sprays are poised to be the next weapon for fighting Covid

Both the Washington and BioNTech studies also looked at another piece of the immune system: B cells, a type of white blood cell that can kick in to produce a burst of fresh antibodies if they recognise a pathogen. People who’d had an Omicron breakthrough infection had a broader response from these useful cells than those who’d had a booster shot but no infection, the BioNTech team found. 

Crucially, the Washington team also found that the broad response was missing in unvaccinated people who had caught Omicron as their first exposure to the virus. This “would be a problem if a new variant that is significantly different emerged,” Veesler said. 

There’s no guarantee that future mutations will be as mild as Omicron, and the pandemic’s future is hard to predict since it depends not just on immunity in the population, but also on how much the virus mutates. 

Other researchers who reviewed the studies said the findings match up with the growing body of evidence for an immune boost from exposure to different virus variants via vaccination and infection. Scientists have also shown broad immune responses in people who caught delta after getting their shots. 

“Maybe this is an indication that an updated booster might be a good idea,” said Theodora Hatziioannou, a virologist at The Rockefeller University who helped lead a team that looked at breakthrough infections in a group of vaccinated people in New York City. 

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News Network
January 22,2025

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Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and his family are facing the possibility of losing control over their ancestral properties in Bhopal, reportedly valued at Rs 15,000 crore. This development follows the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s recent decision to lift a stay imposed on these assets in 2015, potentially paving the way for their acquisition under the Enemy Property Act, 1968.

Properties Under Scrutiny

The properties in question include prominent landmarks such as:

Flag Staff House, where Saif Ali Khan spent much of his childhood

Noor-Us-Sabah Palace

Dar-Us-Salam

Bungalow of Habibi

Ahmedabad Palace

Kohefiza Property

Legal Background

Justice Vivek Agarwal’s ruling emphasized that the amended Enemy Property Act, 2017, provides a statutory mechanism for resolving disputes. The court noted, “If a representation is filed within 30 days from today, the appellate authority shall not advert to the aspect of limitation and shall deal with the appeal on its own merits.”

The Enemy Property Act enables the central government to claim properties belonging to individuals who migrated to Pakistan after Partition. In this case, the focus lies on the migration of Abida Sultan, the eldest daughter of Hamidullah Khan, the last ruling Nawab of the princely state of Bhopal, to Pakistan in 1950. While Sajida Sultan, Hamidullah Khan’s second daughter, stayed in India and became the legal heir, the government has argued that Abida Sultan’s migration classifies the properties as "enemy property."

Saif Ali Khan, Sajida Sultan’s grandson, inherited a portion of these assets. Although the court recognized Sajida Sultan as the legal heir in 2019, the latest ruling has reignited the family’s decades-long property dispute.

Government Action

Bhopal Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh has announced plans to review ownership records spanning the past 72 years. He also stated that individuals residing on the disputed properties may be classified as tenants under the state’s leasing laws. This decision has caused widespread anxiety among the estimated 1.5 lakh residents in the area, many of whom fear eviction.

Historical and Cultural Significance

These properties, deeply tied to the history of the princely state of Bhopal, have served as landmarks of cultural heritage. The potential government acquisition and the legal battles surrounding them highlight the complex interplay between history, law, and inheritance.

The next steps will depend on how the appellate authority addresses the family’s representation, as well as the government’s ongoing review of ownership records.

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News Network
January 17,2025

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Mangaluru, Jan 17: A heart-wrenching accident at Nadupadavu near Kattukodi on the outskirts of the city claimed the life of a young scooter rider this morning. 

The victim, identified as Abubakar Siddiq Razwi (22), son of Moydeen Kunji Bavu and a resident of Nadupadavu, tragically succumbed to his injuries on the spot.

The accident occurred when a scooter traveling from Deralakatte collided with an Ace Tempo heading from Mudipu to Thokkottu.

Abubakar, a final-year student at an Arabic Shariah College in Kasargod, leaves behind a community in mourning. The tempo driver also sustained injuries in the collision.

The Mangaluru South Traffic Police have registered a case and are conducting an investigation into the incident.

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News Network
January 17,2025

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Mangaluru: In a brazen daylight robbery, a group of five to six armed individuals stormed into the Kotekar Vyavasaya Sahakara Seva Sangha branch at KC Road, Ullal taluk, and escaped with valuables estimated at ₹10-12 crore.

The incident occurred between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm, according to Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal. The masked robbers, aged between 25-35, were armed with a pistol, talwar, and knife. They threatened the four to five employees present, forcing them to open the vault containing jewellery and other valuables.

The suspects spoke in Hindi and Kannada and fled the scene in a black Fiat car. Commissioner Agrawal confirmed that multiple police teams have been formed, and efforts are underway to track the culprits using technical surveillance and other leads.

CM Siddaramaiah Holds Emergency Meeting

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah convened a high-level meeting with senior police officials, including IGP Amit Singh, Commissioner Anupam Agrawal, SP Yathish N, and DySP, following the robbery.

Expressing dissatisfaction over security lapses, Siddaramaiah questioned, "How did this happen despite officials being present? Why were toll gates not secured?"

Officials reported that the bank had no security personnel and only five to six staff members on duty during the heist. The Chief Minister has directed authorities to enhance security across four districts, intensify checks at toll gates, and arrest the accused swiftly to ensure stringent legal action.

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