Medical workers are more susceptible to coronavirus infections than others. For instance, during winter 2021, the Omicron variant caused a surge in cases among healthcare professionals.
With more than 30 spike protein mutations, Omicron can evade the immune system’s protective response, making it highly contagious. However, Omicron tends to cause milder illness than the previous Delta variant because Omicron replicates efficiently in nasal epithelial cells but less in lung cells. The milder course of COVID-19 is reflected in lower hospitalization rates for Omicron compared to Delta.
Vaccination has contributed to the decline in hospitalizations. For medical workers, vaccination is a primary preventive measure against COVID-19. However, not all healthcare professionals get vaccinated regularly. Moreover, it takes 42 days after vaccination for immunity to develop. These factors increase the risk of Omicron infection.
Drugs like interferon alpha-2b (IFN-α2b), used in treating and preventing acute respiratory viral infections, can reduce the risk of COVID-19. IFN-α2b is effective against coronaviruses like SARS, MERS, and SARS-CoV-2. Intranasal interferon alpha-2b suppresses the coronavirus at its entry into the body within the nasal mucosal cells.
Russian researchers investigated whether intranasal interferon alpha-2b could enhance protection against the Omicron variant. The study involved 170 healthy medical workers who had been vaccinated with “Gam-COVID-Vac”:
- 108 participants received IFN-α2b nasal drops at the beginning and end of their shifts, with a dosage of 3000 international units (IU) per application. The daily dosage amounted to 6000 IU.
- 62 participants formed the control group.
The intervention lasted for two weeks, followed by a 16-day observation period.
Research Findings
In the intranasal interferon alpha-2b group, Omicron infection rates were 2.6 times lower compared to the control group. The effectiveness of intranasal IFN-α2b in vaccinated individuals was 64.5%.
Conclusion
Because the coronavirus continues to evolve, vaccines cannot provide complete protection against Omicron and its sub variants. Compared to the original Wuhan strain, neutralizing antibody levels for Omicron decreased by 8.1 for the “Gam-COVID-Vac” vaccine. Therefore, to reduce the risk of COVID-19, it is advisable to use additional protection, such as intranasal interferon alpha-2b. Combining the vaccine and intranasal interferon offers 64.5% protection against the coronavirus.
Useful article, necessary information? Share it!
Someone will also find it useful and necessary:
