Can One COVID Variant Protect Against Another? New Study Suggests This Is True

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is fast becoming the most dominant strain to date because of its contagiousness and ability to bypass some of the protections provided by existing vaccines. That said, it may have a paradoxical benefit of protecting someone from reinfection with earlier strains.

In a recent study by researchers in South Africa, where Omicron first emerged, it was found that the variant may in fact increase one’s immunity to other variants like its predecessor, the Delta variant.

The study itself relied on observing a small sample of 13 individuals, 11 of whom tested positive for Omicron. Of these, seven were fully vaccinated and it was found that the antibody response of those infected with Omicron appeared to increase fourfold two weeks after the study began. In addition, the researchers found that the participants showed a 14-fold increase in the immune system's ability to resist reinfection from Omicron.

“The increase in Delta variant neutralization in individuals infected with Omicron may result in decreased ability of Delta to re-infect those individuals,” said Dr. Alex Sigal, the lead researcher at the Africa Health Research Institute which conducted the study.

One of the most significant ramifications of this study is that it may dramatically reduce the disruption feared by Omicron, said Sigal. This is because of the combination of Omicron’s more mild symptoms in contrast to previous strains and the possible boost in immunity that may follow infection with Omicron.

“If Omicron does prove to be less pathogenic, then this may show that the course of the pandemic has shifted – Omicron will take over, at least for now, and we may have less disruption of our lives,” said Sigal.

Caveats remain to this finding that limit its immediate significance, however. The study has not yet been peer-reviewed and current data on Omicron’s severity is limited.

Researchers also caution that it is unclear where this immune response actually comes from. They note that it is unknown if the increased protection is due to Omicron-induced antibodies, vaccination or immunity from a previous infection.

As experts worldwide continue to study Omicron, COVID-19 cases are pushing up hospitalizations and putting renewed stress on healthcare systems. In the United States, Omicron makes up 58.6% of all COVID-19 cases versus 41.1% for Delta, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.