Omicron BA 4/5 is a variant of “vaccinated and boosted people”. Germany, Portugal, and South Africa provide great examples of vaccine uptake and the effects of that on covid infection/reinfection
First off, we discuss South Africa versus Portugal. In June 2022, both were experiencing a rise in Omicron B 4/5 infections. What is the differences between these countries?
South Africa: 30% vaccinated, 5% boostered. Poorer healthcare infrastructure, 20% of population is immune compromised HIV patients.
Portugal: 95% vaccinated, 70% boosted. Modern healthcare infrastructure, but much older population than South Africa. The proudly stated that they would be herd immune by the end of summer 2021 due to all the vaccines they were disseminating to their people. They proudly claimed “we have no one left to vaccinate”.
And what happened? Welp. South Africa’s Omicron B4/5 wave was a “nothing burger” and Portugal? Mass infections. In fact, when you look at South Africa dating back to 2020, they have never had a severe incidence in case rise. Portugal? Not so much. It should also be noted that the majority of Portugal already HAD covid in the winter of 2021-2022. So, these infections now with BA 4/5 are RE-INFECTION. “Why are reinfections happening? Because boosted people are unable to acquire proper immunity upon infection. Thus, they are forced to endure endless Covid reinfections, that further damage their immune systems, inviting more illness.” Igor states “I am very sorry for the people of Portugal. I hope that someone can come up with something to make them healthy again. To make that happen, Portugal needs to fire and prosecute the crooks who got the country into the current situation and look for real solutions, with the crooks removed from influence.” Looking at the graph below, since mass vaccination last summer/fall 2021, covid cases have been exponentially higher compared to South Africa. Starting back in December, 2021. Portugal NEVER returned to baseline of close to 0. South Africa did back in January, 2022.
Moving along to Germany.
Remember the times when East and West Germany were not one country? Remember the days of the Berlin Wall separating E/W Germany? I do. It was such a mesmerizing moment when communism fell and the wall came down. I was about to start high school when the wall came down. A few years ago, I traveled to Eureka Springs, Arkansas to see a piece of the old Berlin Wall that is on display down there. Covid vaccines are an example of you can take down walls, change politics and boundaries, but you can’t change history. Or the memories of what happened there.
“East” Germany is not as vaccinated as “west” Germany is. Because eastern Germany does not trust government like western Germany does. And why would they after you review the history of the last 100 years. Their distrust in their government equated into mistrust of the covid vaccine that the government told them to get.
Where are the majority of Omicron cases currently? What’s that? In the highly vaccinated portions of western Germany? Well. Ya don’t say. A great example of a country divided in terms of vaccine status, and where infections are high versus low.
More vaccinated = more current infection
Less vaccinated = less current infection.
This article goes further in depth. It traces the actual virtual spread prior to vaccines. It shows clearly that the virus itself did not “discriminate” between east and west Germany and spread widely. Most of Germany was infected with covid back in 2020-2021. However, post Delta, when many were naturally immune to the virus, and then again post omicron, the occurrence of re-infection is much heavier in areas with MORE VACCINE AND BOOSTER uptake compared to the German areas with much less vaccine use.
It bears repeating over and over. The vaccine does not prevent transmission or infection. In fact, it is now evident that the vaccine and booster make you higher risk for re-infection. I will call it the “Portugal effect”. Heavily vaccinated, and higher cases than their less vaccinated counterparts. We are seeing this in the United States as well right now. Highly vaccinated states are seeing case jumps (California). One has to ask: will the variants stop if we stop vaccinating? (Many hypothesize that yes, they would).