SAINT LOUIS, MO (KMOX) - The latest increase in COVID cases is being caused by new variants of the virus -- variants that one researcher says are playing 'bait and switch'.
University of Missouri molecular biologist Marc Johnson says most of the antibody response has been targeted at one specific area of the virus. Johnson points out, that is exactly where the new mutations are popping up. "In general they don't seem to be pathogenically that different, the main thing is they seem to be good at avoiding the immunity that we've worked so hard to develop. It's just a matter of they can get through that first line of defense that the vaccines put out."
Johnson says the variants that are now being detected in Missouri wastewater, are very good at evading prior immunity -- whether that be from a previous infection or vaccination and boosting. "Most of the antibody response is targeted at this one specific area of the virus, and that's exactly where the mutation popped up in BA4 and 5."
Johnson says that also means if you were infected with the original Omicron variant, you not as protected as you might expect.
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