South Africa says vaccines and natural immunity are limiting latest Covid wave

Global experts fear countries with older and more vulnerable populations may have different experience of Omicron variant

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Vaccines and high levels of prior exposure to coronavirus in South Africa appear to be protecting against the more severe symptoms seen in the previous three waves of the pandemic, according to the country's health minister.

The suggestion that previous exposure to another variant of coronavirus - or vaccination - might provide protection from the Omicron variant echoes analysis by South African experts earlier this week that suggested prior exposure or vaccination gave a degree of protection from serious disease.