Scotland, mask mandates
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/03/15/scotland-keep-face-masks-another-two-weeks-due-spike-cases/?WT.mc_id=e_DM1551567&WT.tsrc=email&etype=Edi_GHS_New_Daily&utmsource=email&utm_medium=Edi_GHS_New_Daily20220315&utm_campaign=DM1551567
Nicola Sturgeon, “prudent”
mandatory mask rules, until April 4 at the earliest.
Mask rules, case numbers well ahead of England
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/articles/coronaviruscovid19/latestinsights
2,073,900 people (1 in 25) in England
97,900 people (1 in 30) in Wales
143,800 people (1 in 13) in Northern Ireland
299,900 people (1 in 18) in Scotland
COVID-19: Why Are We Ignoring Infection-Acquired Immunity?
https://www.medscape.co.uk/viewarticle/covid-19-why-are-we-ignoring-infection-acquired-immunity-2022a1000ifd?uac=127834AR&faf=1&sso=true&impID=4086722&src=mkm_ret_220315_mscpmrk_perspectiveuk_int
Antibodies from natural infection, more abundant, more potent, at least 10 times more potent, than immunity generated by vaccination alone
Hybrid immunity, induces a sort of ‘super-immunity’,
irrespective of whether infection or vaccination comes first,
there is increasing evidence that immunity derived from natural infection with COVID-19 gives powerful protection on its own.
Natural immunity has been shown to be both highly protective and long lasting,
and to safeguard against both re-infection and severe disease.
Vaccination before or after SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to robust humoral response and antibodies that effectively neutralize variants
(Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Portland, US
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciimmunol.abn8014
Antibody responses from the initial wave of vaccines in early 2021 have waned over 6 months,
contributing to an increase in breakthrough infections
We measure neutralizing antibody responses
Those with breakthrough infections
Hybrid immunity
No infection history
We find that human immune sera
After breakthrough infection and vaccination
After natural infection
broadly neutralize variants to a similar degree
Age
Negatively correlates with antibody response after vaccination alone,
no correlation with age was found in breakthrough or hybrid immune groups.
Together, our data suggest that the additional antigen exposure from natural infection substantially boosts the quantity, quality, and breadth of humoral immune response regardless of whether it occurs before or after vaccination
COVID-19 Cases and Hospitalizations by COVID-19 Vaccination Status and Previous COVID-19 Diagnosis — California and New York, May–November 2021
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7104e1.htm
By early October,
persons who survived a previous infection
had lower case rates than
persons who were vaccinated alone.
Natural immunity against COVID-19 significantly reduces the risk of reinfection: findings from a cohort of sero-survey participants (India)
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.07.19.21260302v1.full.pdf
strong plausibility that development of antibody following natural infection not only protects against re-infection by the virus to a great extent,
but also safeguards against progression to severe COVID-19 disease
EU drug regulator expresses doubt on need for fourth booster dose
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/eu-drug-regulator-says-more-data-needed-impact-omicron-vaccines-2022-01-11/
European Medicines Agency, Head of Vaccines Strategy, Marco Cavaleri
While use of additional boosters can be part of contingency plans,
repeated vaccinations within short intervals would not represent a sustainable long-term strategy
Boosters every four months,
poses the risk of overloading people’s immune systems,
and leading to fatigue in the population.
There is a need for an updated vaccine,
any such change would need to be coordinated globally.
