Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • Turkey
  • Istanbul
  • Education
  • Investigations
  • Minorities
  • Expat Corner
  • Diaspora

Inactive jabs may serve better against omicron: Turkish expert

by Daily Sabah with AA

ISTANBUL Dec 01, 2021 - 3:31 pm GMT+3
Dr. Alper Sener, member of Turkey's Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board, Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 1, 2021. (DHA Photo)
Dr. Alper Sener, member of Turkey's Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board, Istanbul, Turkey, Dec. 1, 2021. (DHA Photo)
by Daily Sabah with AA Dec 01, 2021 3:31 pm
RECOMMENDED
The exterior of the morgue where the bodies of the murders are being kept, in Antalya, southern Türkiye, Sept. 19, 2022. (IHA Photo)

Russian man nabbed after killing parents in Türkiye's Antalya

murder

Inactive vaccines such as Sinovac and Turkovac may create stronger antibodies against the new omicron variant, which has a mutated spike protein, the protein that the BioNTech jab stimulates, said Dr. Alper Şener, a member of Turkey's Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board.

Dr. Şener said the cases of the omicron variant have been detected in several countries, with a potential of rapid spread, adding that the available PCR tests could detect the variant, while complete analyses were yet to be concluded.

"There is no potential that the new variant could evade the current vaccines. However, that the two cases identified in Hong Kong previously received the messenger RNA (mRNA) Pfizer vaccine has somehow raised question marks," he said.

There has not been any scientific data available regarding the course of the disease yet, Şener said, adding that his colleagues and preliminary info suggested that it appears to be the same as the other variants.

Studies on the effectiveness of the vaccines against the variant are now underway, he noted, saying the mRNA jabs only created antibodies against the spike protein while the inactive shots formed antibodies for this protein as well as others, which may appear as an advantage against the omicron variant.

"There is a hypothesis suggesting that the antibody response triggered by the BioNTech jab solely for the spike protein could be negatively affected by the omicron variant as there is an overwhelming mutation and alteration of the spike protein within the omicron variant," he said. This high level of mutation could be a disadvantage for vaccines producing antibodies solely for the spike protein, Şener said.

Nearly 120.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in Turkey since January since it launched an immunization drive, according to the latest figures released on Tuesday.

More than 56.26 million people have received the first vaccine dose, while over 50.46 million have been fully vaccinated, the Health Ministry said. Turkey has also given the third booster shots to more than 12.2 million people.

Separately, the ministry recorded 25,216 new coronavirus cases, 207 deaths, and 24,498 recoveries from the virus since Tuesday.

As many as 359,420 tests were done in the last 24 hours, the data showed.

On Saturday, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said no cases of the omicron variant, recently detected in South Africa, had been found in Turkey, adding that the delta variant is still the dominant strain in the country. He recently stated that Turkey does not intend to implement any further lockdowns or closures to manage the pandemic's reach; instead, it places great importance on individual precautions, particularly vaccination.

Last week, South African scientists announced that they had discovered the omicron variant, which has several mutations that may carry the risk of reinfection. Cases of the same variant have since been found in some Western countries.

On Friday, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the strain a variant of concern, naming it omicron.

Since December 2019, the pandemic has claimed over 5.21 million lives in at least 192 countries and regions, with more than 262.44 million cases reported worldwide, according to the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

RECOMMENDED
The exterior of the morgue where the bodies of the murders are being kept, in Antalya, southern Türkiye, Sept. 19, 2022. (IHA Photo)

Russian man nabbed after killing parents in Türkiye's Antalya

murder
  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Dec 02, 2021 8:55 am
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    coronavirus vaccines&immunity omicron variant covid-19 vaccines vaccination program covid-19 pandemic
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Greek naval forces conducted routine patrol missions around the Mediterranean island of Kastellorizo, one of the easternmost islands in Greece, which is just 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the southern coast of Kaş, Türkiye, Dec. 30, 2022. (Reuters Photo)

    Türkiye will not stand by as Greece threatens security: Erdoğan

    türkiye-greece-relations
    Far-right extremist Rasmus Paludan rants before burning the Quran, in Copenhagen, Denmark, Jan. 27, 2023. (AP Photo)

    Norway cancels Quran burning after reaction from Türkiye

    QURAN-BURNING

    Türkiye summons envoys of 9 countries to express dismay over closure

    TURKIYE-EUROPE-RELATIONS

    Türkiye angered over 'intentional' closure of foreign missions

    türkiye-eu-relations
    No Image
    Highlights of the Beijing Winter Paralympics 2022 Closing Ceremony
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021