Goodbye Pandemic, Hello Endemic

Contact Your Elected Officials
The Epoch Times Header

In early 1918, when World War I entered its final year, the H1N1 influenza A virus infected millions of people, causing the Spanish flu pandemic. By April 1920, after four waves and almost 100 million deaths, the pandemic ended. H1N1 became much less deadly and caused only ordinary seasonal flu. It had become an endemic virus.

Will history repeat itself? After two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and four waves of different variants, will SARS-CoV-2 become an endemic virus?

Looking Good

After my recent opinion piece “Omicron May Help End the Pandemic This Winter” was published, readers asked if I could cite peer-reviewed publications to support my pandemic-ending claim. Well, since the Omicron wave is still ongoing, my projection can only be as good as an educated prediction. But things are looking pretty good.

In the past week, there have been a few related research works published that point in the same direction—that Omicron is fast-spreading but less pathogenic. None of them are yet peer-reviewed, and that’s because the data is time-sensitive, so scientists choose to allow the public access to their research “live,” as the peer review process takes time.

So what does the new data suggest? Could the spread of Omicron end the pandemic? Waves come and go, so in order for Omicron to be the final wave, it needs to be able to stimulate strong and long-lasting immunity against potential future variants.

T Cell Immunity and Vaccination

The hope for long-lasting immunity relies on protective T cell responses. In my previous article, I quoted a University of Cape Town study showing that long-lasting T cell response, induced either by vaccination or natural infection, cross-recognizes Omicron. The authors concluded that well-preserved T cell immunity to Omicron is likely to contribute to protection from severe COVID-19 caused by other variants.

It turns out that not all T cell responses are the same, however. The Cape Town study didn’t distinguish the types of T cell responses a natural infection induces versus that of vaccination. We now know that although vaccinations with S protein-based vaccines stimulate T cell responses, the responses don’t induce protection. That is why, even though the world had a high vaccination rate in November, the Omicron wave still arrived.

Stronger Protection

On Jan. 10, the scientific journal Nature published a peer-reviewed article titled “Cross-reactive memory T cells associate with protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in COVID-19 contacts.” Submitted to Nature by Imperial College London scientists five months ago, the article looked at T cell epitopes (very small protein fragments) from different SARS-CoV-2 proteins (S, N, E, and ORF1) in terms of their cross-reactivity to those of other species of human coronavirus OC-43 and HKU1, which cause the common cold.

By Joe Wang

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

Democrats are Losing by Pushing Their Dirty CR Bill

Talk is going around about the “Democrats Dirty CR” and the “Republicans Clean CR”.

NCAA streamlines transfer portal

The NCAA lords of the Division I Administrative Committee have unveiled a fresh batch of transfer portal reforms.

Section 230 Immunity, Defective Design and Trial Lawyers (Part 2)

Congress granted social media platforms Section 230 immunity even when children are harmed, trial lawyers found a way to bypass protection.

A Tale Of Two Political Parties

While the GOP, led by Trump, has produced results, Democrats offer horrible policies and candidates, presenting a vivid contrast to the American people. 

The Case for Western Islam

The suggestion of a expression of Islam which emerges from western culture is one that comes from a place of love.

Democrats are Losing by Pushing Their Dirty CR Bill

Talk is going around about the “Democrats Dirty CR” and the “Republicans Clean CR”.

Biden Undergoing Radiation, Hormone Treatment for Prostate Cancer

Former President Biden has begun receiving a combination of radiation and hormone treatments for prostate cancer, spokesperson announced.

Homan Says DOJ Probing Funding Behind ‘Organized’ Attacks on ICE

Border czar, Homan said DOJ launched an investigation into funding for what he called “organized” attacks on federal immigration enforcement agents.

There Are No Survivors in the Blast at a Tennessee Explosives Factory, Sheriff Says

The blast in rural Tennessee that leveled an explosives plant and was felt for miles around left no survivors, authorities said Saturday

Trump Names Longtime Adviser Dan Scavino to Key Personnel Position

One of President Trump’s longtime advisers, Dan Scavino, is going to be in charge of selecting and appointing key positions within the executive branch.

First Lady’s Effort Helped Reunite 8 War-Displaced Children With Their Families

First lady Melania Trump said 8 children impacted by the fighting between Ukraine and Russia were reunited with their families on Oct. 9.

Trump to Impose New 100 Percent Tariff on China on Nov. 1

President Trump said that the US will impose an additional 100 percent tariffs on Chinese goods and export controls on critical software starting on Nov. 1.

Trump Admin Agrees to $20 Billion Rescue Plan for Argentina

The U.S. government has finalized a $20 billion economic rescue plan for Argentina, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on Oct. 9.
spot_img

Related Articles

Popular Categories

MAGA Business Central