Analysis of the protective efficacy of approved COVID-19 vaccines against Omicron variants and the prospects for universal vaccines

Abstract

By the end of 2022, different variants of Omicron had rapidly spread worldwide, causing a significant impact on the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic situation. Compared with previous variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS–CoV-2), these new variants of Omicron exhibited a noticeable degree of mutation. The currently developed platforms to design COVID-19 vaccines include inactivated vaccines, mRNA vaccines, DNA vaccines, recombinant protein vaccines, virus-like particle vaccines, and viral vector vaccines. Many of these platforms have obtained approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the WHO. However, the Omicron variants have spread in countries where vaccination has taken place; therefore, the number of cases has rapidly increased, causing concerns about the effectiveness of these vaccines. This article first discusses the epidemiological trends of the Omicron variant and reviews the latest research progress on available vaccines. Additionally, we discuss progress in the development progress and practical significance of universal vaccines. Next, we analyze the neutralizing antibody effectiveness of approved vaccines against different variants of Omicron, heterologous vaccination, and the effectiveness of multivalent vaccines in preclinical trials. We hope that this review will provide a theoretical basis for the design, development, production, and vaccination strategies of novel coronavirus vaccines, thus helping to end the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Impact of normalized COVID-19 prevention and control measures on lower respiratory tract infection pathogenesis in hospitalized children

“…COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted significant global human and economic losses ( 5 ). The main modes of respiratory pathogen transmission are droplet and contact, since the initial outbreak of COVID-19 in late 2019 ( 14 ), China has implemented a series of pandemic prevention and control measures ( 15 ).…”

“…Since the end of December 2019, a novel human coronavirus, called the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged in Wuhan city, China ( 4 ). Subsequently, the disease (coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has been documented in all provinces or regions in China, the threats of which to public health received widespread concern ( 5 ). In view of these, a variety of strict non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) measures were performed to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2 nationwide, and which effectively restricted the prevalence of this infectious virus and saved the lives of thousands of people in China ( 6 ).…”

Single-Dose Immunogenic DNA Vaccines Coding for Live-Attenuated Alpha- and Flaviviruses

“…Recent pandemics of novel H1N1 influenza and SARS-CoV-2 emphasized the importance of novel and effective vaccine technologies. Nucleic acid vaccines such as mRNA vaccines and DNA vaccines were rapidly approved around the world to protect people from infections with SARS-CoV-2 [ 1 ]. Despite rapid progress and the approval of mRNA vaccines for SARS-CoV-2, DNA vaccines continue to raise significant interest due to the simplicity of production, genetic and thermal stability (no requirement for a cold chain), and the activation of balanced humoral, cell-mediated, and innate immunity.…”

“…However, despite a relatively long history and many successful preclinical trials, the clinical success of traditional DNA vaccines has been limited. Only one DNA vaccine, ZyCoV-D, has seen wide clinical use, based on its emergency use approval in India [ 1 ]. The lack of regulatory approvals is based on various factors, including relatively low DNA uptake (particularly with traditional inoculation methods), low immunogenicity in humans, and the need for repeated booster vaccinations with large quantities of DNA, as reviewed elsewhere [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 ].…”