Chinese company claims ZF-UZ-VAC2001 protects from omicron, though the effect is weaker

According to the company, the vaccine is useful in producing antibodies against the omicron variant of coronavirus, although the effect is weaker than against the original variant of the virus.

The company said neutralizing antibodies against Omicron were detected in samples from 78% of 32 subjects who had completed a three-shot inoculation course a month earlier.

Among the 32 subjects, 16 received their second and third doses more than four months apart, and all of them had neutralizing antibodies to Omicron. But the level of antibodies showed an approximate three-fold drop compared with that seen against the original coronavirus.

The firm did not provide further details in the readings, and the shot's protection rate against Omicron-caused infection, severe disease or death remained unclear.

The shot has been approved in China, Indonesia and Uzbekistan.