Vaccine Effectiveness: COVID-19 vaccines are likely to remain effective against NB.1.8.1, particularly in preventing severe disease and hospitalization.
Antibody Response: Lab tests show a roughly 1.6-fold reduction in antibody effectiveness against NB.1.8.1 compared to other variants.
Protection Against Severe Disease: Vaccines, especially updated boosters, provide significant protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death from NB.1.8.1.
Current Vaccines: Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, and Novavax vaccines are approved for use and target the JN.1 strain, which includes NB.1.8.1.
Target Population: Vaccines are recommended for infants, children, adolescents, and adults, including those with weakened immune systems.
Immune Evasion: NB.1.8.1 has a slight advantage in immune evasion, but vaccines still offer protection.
Vaccine Coverage: COVID-19 vaccination coverage varies across countries, with some reporting over 50% coverage in individuals above 80 years.
Booster Shots: Updated boosters are crucial for maintaining protection against NB.1.8.1 and other variants.
WHO Assessment: The World Health Organization assesses the public health risk of NB.1.8.1 as "low" and recommends continued monitoring.
Ongoing Research: Studies are ongoing to determine the exact effectiveness of current vaccines against NB.1.8.1.