Experts warn against notion that Omicron is natural vax

The notion that Omicron is a natural vaccine is a “dangerous idea” spread by irresponsible people who don’t take into account “long COVID” about which very little is understood, experts have said.

The notion that Omicron is a natural vaccine is a “dangerous idea” spread by irresponsible people who don’t take into account “long COVID” about which very little is understood, experts have said.

The Omicron variant of COVID-19, which is said to be much more infectious than the other variants, is, however, causing milder infections, less hospitalisation and deaths which is leading to the notion that it can act as a natural vaccine.

Recently, a Maharashtra health official also claimed that Omicron will act as a natural vaccine and may help in COVID-19’s progression towards the endemic stage. Noted virologist Shahid Jameel said the notion that Omicron is a natural vaccine is a dangerous idea spread by irresponsible people. “It breeds complacency and is rooted more in pandemic fatigue and the inability to do more,” he said. Jameel, the former head of the advisory group to the Indian SARSCOV-2 Genomics Consortia (INASACOG), said those who advocate this don’t take into account “long COVID” about which very little is understood.

Giridhara R Babu, professor and the Head of Lifecourse Epidemiology at the Public Health Foundation of India, said however mild Omicron is, it is not a vaccine.

“There are deaths and hospitalisations due to this variant. Stay away from misinformation. Compared to vaccination, natural infection cannot protect the population against any variant (Alpha, Beta, Gamma or Delta). Proponents of herd immunity are saying it again that Omicron would provide herd immunity. Evidence matters, not opinions,” he said.