MOSCOW, February 10. /TASS/. Immunity obtained after overcoming the coronavirus Delta strain does not protect against the Omicron variant, a specialist in particularly dangerous infections and immunologist, Vladislav Zhemchugov, told TASS.

"Omicron is so different from Delta. Why do [people] get re-infected? Because it’s already very different in that particular region of the viral particle where the protective antibodies and the action of vaccine immunity are concentrated. This S-protein has changed so much that after Delta, you can pick up Omicron, and after Omicron, you can pick up Delta," Zhemchugov said.

According to the medical expert, immunity after overcoming Omicron will not protect against other strains. "And vaccinated people are protected from Delta, but they are already much weaker from Omicron. People who have been vaccinated with shots based on the Wuhan strain and who have been ill with Omicron have the most complete immunity to all strains," Zhemchugov added.

The strain of coronavirus B.1.1.529, which is designated by the Greek letter "omicron", was discovered in 2021 in South Africa. According to the latest data from the anti-coronavirus crisis center, the Omicron strain has been detected in 84 regions of Russia.