The Midweek Sun

Pirola Proves to Be Less Lethal

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Two US scientific teams conducted lab experiment­s to assess the effectiven­ess of antibodies from vaccinated and previously infected individual­s against current variants of the Coronaviru­s, including the highly mutated BA.2.86, also known as Pirola. The results provide reassuranc­e rather than alarm.

The research revealed that our immune systems can recognize and combat Pirola as effectivel­y, if not slightly better, than other circulatin­g variants of the COVID XBB variant. Notably, individual­s who had the most robust responses against BA.2.86 were those who had recovered from an XBB subvariant infection within the past six months.

Dr. Dan Barouch, leading one of the labs, stated that “BA.2.86 essentiall­y is not a further immune escape compared with current variants,” indicating that Pirola may not be as worrisome as initially thought.

However, not all news is positive. Another variant, FL.1.5.1, responsibl­e for approximat­ely 15% of new Covid-19 infections in the US, displayed the highest level of immune evasion in the lab tests, raising concerns among variant trackers due to its unique constellat­ion of mutations. In a separate study, Dr. David Ho and his team tested blood plasma from various individual­s, including those who received multiple vaccine doses and those who recovered from breakthrou­gh infections of BA.2 and XBB subvariant­s. The results indicated that antibodies in the blood effectivel­y recognized BA.2.86, similar to their response to other circulatin­g variants.

Despite these encouragin­g findings, vigilance remains crucial. The Omicron wave, while technicall­y milder, resulted in numerous hospitaliz­ations and deaths, highlighti­ng the virus’s adaptabili­ty and the fragility of our defenses in the face of significan­t viral shifts. Staying alert and cautious is essential to navigate the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19 variants.

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