Doctor on CNN Says Rise in Breakthrough Cases Could Be ‘Endgame’ for Pandemic

Dr. Marcel Curlin joined CNN’s Jim Sciutto on Wednesday to share some potentially good news about the coronavirus pandemic.

Curlin, an associate professor of medicine at Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine, recently conducted a study that found breakthrough cases of Covid-19 significantly enhance the immune response to variants of the virus.

“I think this speaks to an eventual end game,” Curlin said of the study’s conclusions. “It doesn’t mean we’re at the end of the pandemic, but it points to where we’re likely to land: Once you’re vaccinated and then exposed to the virus, you’re probably going to be reasonably well-protected from future variants.”

While on CNN, Curlin clarified that the findings only apply to those who have been vaccinated, as those included in his team’s research were exclusively double jabbed.

“Those people, fully vaccinated, compared with those who were fully vaccinated and then got an infection after that —  in all cases the infections were mild, but when you compare the immune responses, they’re astronomically higher in vaccinated, infected,” Curlin told Sciutto.

The doctor went on to explain that while antibodies wane over time, people develop a “memory response” to contracting the virus, meaning one’s “immune response” would improve if one were to get infected more than once.

“Now, you’re not suggesting that people get infected, are you?” Sciutto asked. “You’re just saying that this is a byproduct — you’re not telling any to lower their guard is the point I want to make.”

Curlin confirmed that people should still receive their vaccines, as the study’s findings only apply to those who have been immunized.

“By the same token, we would never recommend trying to get Covid in order to avoid getting Covid. That would be self-defeating. It is much better not to get infected,” he added. “But if you do and you’re also vaccinated, then hopefully your infection will be much milder and you’ll also have a good immune response.”

Sciutto then asked if the study’s findings could point to a potential end of the pandemic, as more people continue to get vaccinated and exposed.

“That’s right. That’s exactly one of the things we have our eye on.” Curlin confirmed, adding, “And as new waves and surges come, many people get disheartened. They think that maybe we’re going to have endless cycles of infection. It feels that way. But what we’re saying here with these results is well, actually, as more of the world becomes immune through the two means — vaccine and natural infection — we’re going to eventually have a world population that is much stronger and able to fight off the virus.”

“I think what we’re saying here is this will taper down the epidemic in its severity and its destructive nature,” he concluded.

Watch above, via CNN.