Broad and robust T cell immunity compensates the population immune barrier against antibody-escaping Omicron variants

Our study reveals SARS-CoV-2 variant-specific antibody escape compensated by stable cross-reactive T cell responses. In the context of continued viral evolution, stimulating robust T cell immune responses may be critical to achieve a high population immune barrier against future coronaviruses/variants. These findings emphasize the necessity of comprehensive immune evaluation integrating both humoral and cellular components and provide scientific foundations for optimizing vaccine strategies and immune surveillance systems to address emerging viruses and their variants.