Experts: It can evade immunity induced by jabs, prior infections
It has been a common assumption during the pandemic that being infected with a Covid variant provides a natural immune boost, enabling one’s immune system to better recognise and fend off infection in the future. But not so with the BA.5 Omicron sub-variant, which could evade immunity induced both by vaccines as well as prior infection.
That means even if you were infected in 2020 with Delta or even Omicron BA.1 last winter, you can still get BA.5. Your previous immunity does not protect you from the latest strain.
Global researchers said the BA.5 Omicron sub-variant has the potential to reinfect the Covid survivor with the virus again “within weeks”. BA.5, together with BA.4 and other sub-variants, are said to be behind the current surge in infections seen in several countries. “Omicron BA.5 proves to be different, with several researchers terming it as “the most easily transmissible Covid variant to date,” said the researchers.
“The main reason this variant has become the predominant one that is now circulating is that it is able to evade previous immunity,” said Dean Blumberg.