Although breakthrough infection by SARS Cov-2, especially by Delta and Omicron variants,  in vaccinated people is known, South African scientists have established in one of the most eagerly awaited studies that Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine alone will not be of much use in preventing or neutralizing the new variant of COVID-19 virus–Omicron. The results also suggest that other vaccines — which too target only the spike protein of the virus — are unlikely to fare any better.

There is, however, good news for those who have already got infected with COVID-19, as antibodies from previous infections have been shown to be largely effective in neutralizing or limiting the proliferation of Omicron.

The Africa Health Research Institute said in a statement on Tuesday that its research strongly suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant escapes antibody immunity induced by the Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) vaccine, but that considerable immunity is retained in people who were both vaccinated and previously infected.”