Article by Silada Rojratanakiat
Remember when parents purposely exposed their children to chickenpox to boost immunity? People now try to catch Omicron for the same reason.
After two years of humanity desperately attempting to avoid COVID-19, some in Thailand now feel it is impossible to remain virus-free indefinitely. Omicron is about to become the predominant COVID-19 variant in Thailand. This strain is highly infectious, which means that a large number of people, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, will get infected during this wave. As a result, some people strive to catch Omicron just to get it over with. Because Omicron causes fewer illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths than predecessors like Delta, some believe it functions as a "natural vaccine."
However, Omicron may not be a live virus vaccination.
The COVID-19 patients' "recovered" status is a sort of immunity to COVID-19. A person is deemed properly immunized if they have recently been infected and recovered. The question is which induces a more robust immune response: a natural infection or a vaccination? While the answer is not straightforward, the short answer is that no one knows. It is largely determined by the variant and the time in which a person tests positive.
Although a milder variant of the COVID-19 virus may have the potential to act as a natural vaccine, there is no prediction or knowledge of how an infection's impact may differ from person to person. One person may benefit from enhanced immunity, while another may realize that the sickness is more severe than expected. The difference in immune responses after natural infection may be due to the virus level to which the person was exposed.
COVID-19 vaccines, on the other hand, have been shown to work reliably and are significantly safer as they are developed in a clinical setting. The main advantages of vaccines are predictability and safety, and they are designed to elicit a strong immunological response. Each person gets the same dose of the jab, and the medical staff is aware of the amount administered. COVID-19 vaccines have been tested in tens of thousands of individuals with no adverse side effects, but if there are any, they are much less serious than those associated with natural infection.
Do not gamble!
As with prior COVID-19 strains, patients infected with the Omicron variant are less likely to be hospitalized or turn worse than patients in preceding waves. Despite being milder than other variants, Omicron can still be catastrophic for some. A person cannot pick which strain to be infected with, so there is no way to tell whether one has been exposed to the Omicron or the still circulating and more severe Delta.
Another issue is "Long COVID" which refers to symptoms such as weariness, brain fog, difficulty breathing, and others that persist after COVID-19 infection. Even minor infections may result in Long COVID. No one knows if they are going to be one of those who can endure an infection with few long-term consequences.
The impact on vulnerable people is another compelling reason to avoid collecting COVID-19. Anyone infected with COVID-19 may infect others, including those who cannot receive the inoculation for medical reasons, are too young, or are otherwise unprotected. A transmission chain may drastically increase patient numbers, straining an already overworked health care system and labor. Nobody should make the situation worse by hoping to become ill.
Trying to get infected is not a good idea. It is a risk for both fully vaccinated and non-vaccinated people. First, the severity of a COVID-19 infection cannot be predicted. Second, immunizations and boosters already provide good protection. Third, any illness may cause a chain reaction that can be harmful to others. The best course of action is to obtain shots and conduct oneself in a COVID-appropriate manner.
What about herd immunity?
The COVID-19 pandemic's long-term goal was frequently cited as "herd immunity." When a significant majority of the population is immune, the virus cannot find a host. Omicron, which may speed up endemicity and cut hospitalization and death rates, is said to be a potential game-changer. Then, the world may achieve herd immunity.
Nevertheless, herd immunity is time-sensitive, notably in the case of COVID-19. Antibody protection tends to be only temporary and may not be effective against future variants. Infection with a particular variant may not generate sufficient immunity. Sustained immunity is unlikely if COVID-19 keeps mutating. If a new variant that evades the antibodies emerges, it may be a restart.
Thus, rather than infecting enough people and then creating natural immunity, which is a risky approach, herd immunity should be achieved by vaccination. Omicron may provide a temporary increase in natural immunity at a terrible cost since it is impossible to anticipate who will emerge unscathed from the infection.
Go get a booster.
It is absurd to seek natural immunity when vaccines and boosters are safe and effective. Because natural immunity deteriorates with time, no guarantee taking Omicron will protect against the next unknown variant. It is too early to speculate on the possibility of Omicron as a natural vaccine. In the meantime, go get a booster. As an example, consider the flu shot. It is intended to help mitigate the severe effects on a seasonal basis. That seems to be the situation with COVID-19. Everyone desires that it will become endemic, which is a worthy objective to strive towards.