Newfoundland and Labrador reported 319 positive cases of COVID-19 on Wednesday, in the first weekly update since June 29. Eight people are currently hospitalized due to the virus, with one person in intensive care. Four of those being treated are at East Health, three at Central Health and one at Labrador-Grenfell Health. As the number of local COVID-19 infections continues to rise, a virologist in St. John says he was wrong about the predicted spread of the virus. Speaking on the show St. CBC’s John’s Morning Show Rod Russell, a professor of virology and immunology at Memorial University, explained that as restrictions are lifted and the “grand restart” of normal life begins, the virus and its variants are causing problems. “Cases are coming back up again now,” Russell said. “They’re actually picking up very quickly. It’s the big restart is what I call it. We’re living pretty normal now. Concerts are back. Travel has recovered to a level that the airlines didn’t even anticipate. There’s a lot less fear,” he said. “People are doing all the things they couldn’t do for a few years and the virus is going with them.” Russell pointed to the high number of reinfections in the province as evidence that immunity is not necessarily a long-term guarantee, especially considering the fact that many residents received booster shots at least six months ago. He said hybrid immunity is becoming more common. According to Russell, hybrid immunity occurs when someone was infected before receiving the vaccine, and then was vaccinated, or was vaccinated but contracted the virus afterward. He said the spike protein from the vaccine, combined with the broader immune response to the virus as a whole, leads to hybrid immunity, which he predicts will eventually lead to milder infections over time. Rodney Russell says the “big reset” to normal life has led to a spike in COVID cases in Newfoundland and Labrador. (Memorial University of Newfoundland) As for why vaccines and hybrid immunity seem to last only a few months, Russell admitted he was surprised to see reinfection occur so soon. “I think there are a few things that could be at play,” Russell said. “First, maybe we just don’t make high levels of antibodies when we get infected or when we get vaccinated. If you have a drop in antibodies, you’re not starting at a very high point. Or, it could be a response. It’s possible that the antibody subtypes that we make are exactly the ones that degrade the most. quick I don’t have the answer [to that question yet,] but it is very clear that there is a rapid drop in antibody levels and that makes us vulnerable.” Russell said the virus would ideally settle into a seasonal schedule, similar to the common cold, where patients could be given COVID booster shots as needed. However, given the upward trend in cases, Russell argues that stronger vaccines are needed, as immunologists do not recommend the same vaccine every three months. “We’ve never done that,” Russell said. “We don’t know what the effect on the immune system would be. The more the body sees something, the less it starts to worry about it. That’s the caution, that too many exposures to the vaccine may eventually start to cause a lack of response to it.” . Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
