Covid-19 pandemic: Omicron likely to protect against Delta infections

Infection with the Omicron coronavirus variant can also strengthen immunity against the earlier Delta strain, reducing the risk of severe disease, according to a paper released by South African scientists. 

While Omicron has been shown to be highly transmissible and can evade some antibodies, after two weeks of getting symptoms immunity to subsequent infections from the strain rose 14-fold, according to the authors led by Alex Sigal and Khadija Khan of the Durban, South Africa-based Africa Health Research Institute. A smaller improvement was found against Delta, they said. 

“If we are lucky, Omicron is less pathogenic, and this immunity will help push Delta out,” said Sigal. The latest findings suggest the likelihood of someone infected with Omicron being reinfected by Delta is limited.

Meanwhile, global Covid-19 cases hit a daily record on Monday. The more than 1.44 million worldwide infections smashed the prior record after factoring out a day in December 2020 when Turkey backdated a significant number of cases. A more conservative gauge — the seven-day rolling average that smooths out one-time fluctuations and holiday reporting irregularities — is also at a record level, due to a tidal wave of Omicron infections.

France made working from home compulsory three days a week to contain the spread of the Omicron variant. Workers that have the option to stay away from the office must do so a minimum of three days and if possible four days, Prime Minister Jean Castex said.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cut the recommended isolation restrictions for Americans who catch the coronavirus to five days from 10 days, and similarly shortened the time that close contacts need to quarantine.

The Asian Development Bank said global remittances were likely to grow by $34 billion this year and about $31 billion in 2022, reversing last year’s decline, as economies recovered from the impact of the pandemic. Estimated remittance growth of 4.8 per cent globally this year reflects a comparison to last year’s low base.