Almost all COVID-19 vaccine brands have decreased efficacy vs. Omicron, says expert

Almost all brands of COVID-19 vaccines have decreased efficacy against the Omicron variant, a local vaccine expert said Monday.

Dr. Nina Gloriani, chairperson of the Vaccine Expert Panel made the remark in a public briefing after a study was released indicating that Sinovac's two-dose COVID-19 vaccine followed by a booster Pfizer-BioNTech shot showed a lower immune response against the Omicron variant compared with other strains.

“Actually hindi lang Sinovac, lahat halos ng bakuna na mayroon tayo ngayon bumaba talaga ang protection against the Omicron variant,” she said.

(Not only Sinovac but almost all the vaccines that we have right now have lower protection against the Omicron variant.)

Some vaccines are 30 to 40 percent less effective against Omicron compared to the Delta COVID-19 variant, she added.

Despite this, Gloriani reiterated the importance of having at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine to avoid hospitalization.

A person who is vaccinated with one dose of COVID-19 vaccine could have at most 52 percent protection against hospitalization, she said.

Those who got two doses are 72 percent protected against critical case of Omicron COVID-19 variant while those who got their booster shots could have around 90 percent protection.

Gloriani said the government’s all experts group has yet to discuss the inoculation of fourth COVID-19 dose to the general population but she said this is already in their “radar.”

“Sa totoo lang, ‘di pa napapagusapan sa all experts group ‘yung fourth dose pero of course, kailangan nasa radar natin ‘yan,” she said.

(To be honest, the idea of fourth dose has not been discussed in the all experts group but of course, we need to include that in our radar.)

The vaccine expert explained that the “neutralizing antibodies” produced from the inoculation of COVID-19 vaccines are only a first line of protection.

There is another defense mechanism in the body called “T Cells” which is a “cellular-mediated immunity” that protects a person against severe form of COVID-19 for a long period of time.

She likewise explained that the idea of vaccination against COVID-19 every three months need more studies as it is “too soon” to tell if it is necessary.

“Hindi pa masasabi ang every three months. Masyado ‘yang soon para sabihin natin na boost tayo nang boost every three months,” she said.

(We can't say that we need to vaccinate every three months. It is still too soon to say that we need to get COVID-19 booster shot every three months.)

“Until we get more data, titingnan po natin kasi ‘di rin po maganda na medyo mataas pa rin ang level ng immunity ninyo and I’m talking about the general population, iba pa rin po kapag immunocompromised, kapag medyo mataas pa ang level ng inyong antibody, walang silbi ang magbigay ng booster,” she added.

(We could not decide on this until we get more data because it is also not good to get another dose when you still have high level of immunity. I am talking about the general population and not those who are immunocompromised. Because if you still have high level of antibody, the booster shot will have no effect.)—LDF, GMA News