Omicron Is 3 Times More Infectious for Those Who Previously Had COVID-19

The Omicron variant is 3 times more infectious for individuals who previously contracted COVID-19 compared to earlier variants of the coronavirus. This warning comes from scientists at the Center for Epidemiological Modeling and Analysis and the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) in South Africa.

According to Reuters, the Omicron variant can evade the immunity acquired from infections with earlier strains of the coronavirus. NICD employee fon Gotberg stated during a press briefing of the World Health Organization (WHO) regional office in Africa that the fact of recovery from previous variants does not provide protection against the Omicron strain.

“We are witnessing an increase in the number of people who previously had COVID-19 and are getting infected again due to the spread of the Omicron variant,” he said. Gotberg noted that individuals who were previously infected in South Africa were not getting infected with the Delta variant, but they are now getting infected with the new Omicron variant.