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PreprintCited by 84SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchCOVID-19 epidemiological studiesCOVID-19 Clinical Research Studies

Protection of Omicron sub-lineage infection against reinfection with another Omicron sub-lineage

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Chemaitelly, Hiam, Ayoub, Houssein H., Coyle, Peter, Tang, Patrick, Yassine, Hadi M., Al-Khatib, Hebah A., Smatti, Maria K., Hasan, Mohammad R. +15 more·2022·Nature Communications
DOI 10.1101/2022.02.24.22271440PMC PMC9362989

Preprint — published as 10.1038/s41467-022-32363-4

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant has two main sub-lineages, BA.1 and BA.2 with significant genetic distance between them. This study investigated protection of infection with one sub-lineage against reinfection with the other sub-lineage in Qatar during a large BA.1 and BA.2 Omicron wave, from December 19, 2021 to February 21, 2022. METHODS: Two national matched, retrospective cohort studies were conducted to estimate effectiveness of BA.1 infection against reinfection with BA.2 (N=20,197; BA.1-against-BA.2 study), and effectiveness of BA.2 infection against reinfection with BA.1 (N=100,925; BA.2-against-BA.1 study). Associations were estimated using Cox proportional-hazards regression models. RESULTS: In the BA.1-against-BA.2 study, cumulative incidence of infection was estimated at 0.03% (95% CI: 0.01-0.07%) for the BA.1-infected cohort and at 0.62% (95% CI: 0.51-0.75%) for the uninfected-control cohort, 15 days after the start of follow-up. Effectiveness of BA.1 infection against reinfection with BA.2 was estimated at 94.9% (95% CI: 88.4-97.8%). In the BA.2-against-BA.1 study, cumulative incidence of infection was estimated at 0.03% (95% CI: 0.02-0.04%) for the BA.2-infected cohort and at 0.17% (95% CI: 0.15-0.21%) for the uninfected-control cohort, 15 days after the start of follow-up. Effectiveness of BA.2 infection against reinfection with BA.1 was estimated at 85.6% (95% CI: 77.4-90.9%). CONCLUSIONS: Infection with an Omicron sub-lineage appears to induce strong, but not full protection against reinfection with the other sub-lineage, for at least several weeks after the initial infection.

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  • Of 315 random SARS-CoV-2-positive specimens collected between December 19, 2021 and January 22, 2022, 300 (95.2%) were confirmed as Omicron infections and 15 (4.8%) as Delta infections.

    “A total of 315 random SARS-CoV-2-positive specimens collected between December 19, 2021 and January 22, 2022 were viral whole-genome sequenced on a Nanopore GridION sequencing device. Of these, 300 (95.2%) were confirmed as Omicron infections and 15 (4.8%) as Delta (B.1.617.2)1 infections2,4,5.”

    From Duration of mRNA vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 subvariants in Qatar (2022) · cites this paper as [4]

  • The large Omicron-wave exponential-growth phase in Qatar started on December 19, 2021 and peaked in mid-January, 2022.

    “The large Omicron-wave exponential-growth phase in Qatar started on December 19, 2021 and peaked in mid-January, 20222–5.”

    From Duration of mRNA vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 subvariants in Qatar (2022) · cites this paper as [4]

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Authors
Chemaitelly, H., Ayoub, H. H., Coyle, P., Tang, P., Yassine, H. M., Al-Khatib, H. A., Smatti, M. K., Hasan, M. R., Al-Kanaani, Z., Al-Kuwari, E., Jeremijenko, A., Kaleeckal, A. H., Latif, A. N., Shaik, R. M., Abdul-Rahim, H. F., Nasrallah, G. K., Al-Kuwari, M. G., Butt, A. A., Al-Romaihi, H. E., Al-Thani, M. H., Al-Khal, A., Bertollini, R., & Abu-Raddad, L. J.
Affiliations
  • Cornell University (US)
  • Qatar University (QA)
  • Queen's University Belfast (GB)
  • Sidra Medical and Research Center (QA)
  • Hamad Medical Corporation (QA)
  • Ministry of Public Health (QA)
Corresponding author
  • Chemaitelly, Hiam
  • Abu-Raddad, Laith J.
ORCID
Venue
Nature Communications
Publisher
openRxiv
Published
2022-02-25
Volume
13
Issue
1
Pages
4675-4675
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1101/2022.02.24.22271440
PMC
PMC9362989
OpenAlex
W4291020436
Cited by
84
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 29
FWCI
9.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • medRxiv (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Portal (Queen's University Belfast) (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Qatar University QSpace (Qatar University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Hamad Medical Corporation
  • Sidra Medicine
  • Qatar University
  • Weill Cornell Medical College
  • Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Modeling and Simulation › COVID-19 epidemiological studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › COVID-19 Clinical Research Studies
Keywords
Omicron variant, cross-protection, immunoprotection, Qatar
MeSH terms
Reinfection, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Humans, Retrospective Studies, Proportional Hazards Models

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