CDC confirms existing COVID antibodies effective against new variant.

The⁢ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ⁣(CDC) just‌ dropped ⁢some exciting news! ⁢According to their latest research, ‍antibodies‍ from prior COVID-19⁣ infections or existing ‍vaccines are effective in protecting ​against a ⁤new variant discovered in the​ United States.

This update from the CDC ‍brings encouraging news for the upcoming‍ COVID-19 vaccine booster ⁢shot. The booster shot is⁤ currently undergoing review by federal health agencies, with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expected to authorize updated ⁣vaccines targeting subvariants of the Omicron variant.

In their update, the​ CDC stated, “Early‍ research ⁤data from multiple labs are reassuring and show that existing antibodies work against ‌the new⁣ BA.2.86 variant. These findings are also promising for the effectiveness⁤ of the ‌2023–2024 COVID-19⁤ vaccine, which is currently under review. That’s because⁤ the vaccine is tailored to the‌ currently circulating variants.”

Furthermore, the‍ CDC clarified that the BA.2.86​ lineage of ⁢COVID-19 is​ not responsible for the recent small ​increases in cases and hospitalizations in the United States. The⁤ agency attributed⁢ these increases to other predominantly circulating viruses.

As​ of Friday, ⁣BA.2.86 has​ been identified in nine U.S. states. It has also been​ detected in human and wastewater specimens in countries⁤ like⁢ Japan, the United Kingdom, and ⁣Canada.

The CDC emphasized,‌ “Based on our ⁤experience with past SARS-CoV-2 variants, it is likely that people will​ have protection against ⁤severe disease⁣ through both⁣ cellular ​and antibody immunity. However, ⁣real-world data is‍ needed ‍to fully understand the impact of this variant on the immune response. Ongoing studies will provide more insights in the coming weeks.”

Conflicting Messages

Interestingly, this statement contradicts the CDC’s previous comments made in late⁣ August.⁤ Back then,⁢ the health agency suggested that the new COVID-19 variant⁤ might be⁢ more capable of causing infection ‌in individuals who had previously contracted the virus or received ⁤vaccines.

At the time, the CDC ⁣stated that it⁣ was too early to determine if BA.2.86 could ‌lead to more severe illness compared to earlier variants. ‌The high number ⁢of mutations in this lineage raised concerns about ⁢the effectiveness of vaccines and prior​ immunity.

The CDC’s August assessment warned, “The large number of⁣ mutations in this variant raises​ concerns of⁤ greater​ escape from existing immunity from vaccines and ⁤previous infections ​compared with other recent variants. For example, one ⁤analysis of ‍mutations suggests‌ the difference may be as large as or ⁢greater than that between”