Anjali Kumari, IILM College of Engineering and Technology
Longer gap (up to 45 weeks) between the Covid-19 vaccines may increase the immune response. According to a new study from the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, it has been stated that a gap of up to 45 weeks between the first and second doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine will remain highly effective, and it will help in increasing the body’s immune response. The third dose after that will be able to boost the antibody levels even further.
The study has provided reassurance that a person’s immunity will not get compromised and it will generate an elevated immune response as compared to the usually recommended interval (8-12 weeks). More than six months later after taking the second dose, the “booster” jab further strengthens immunity which also works against the existing variants. The side effects after taking the second and third dose are generally reported to be relatively mild or lower than compared to the first dose.
As new variants of COVID-19 are emerging, the shortage of vaccine supplies is raising concern in many countries, particularly about the immune response due to the extension of gaps between the doses. The countries with low and middle incomes, for example, Bangladesh, are facing a resurgence in the Covid-19 cases and their vaccine supplies are also severely limited. The government is also concerned about how sooner or later “booster” doses should be given so that the Covid-19 cases do not get overwhelmed in the coming winter season.
AstraZeneca’s vaccine is one of the most widely distributed vaccines globally, and the WHO (World Health Organization) recommends a longer gap of a minimum of 8 to 12 weeks between its first and second dose. The study which appears as a preprint has yet to undergo peer reviews. It has also been found that the antibodies which are induced after the first jab have managed to remain elevated up to 1 year to some extent. Are the results encouraging? The results of the ongoing research are encouraging enough, and it has been found that a longer gap between the vaccine doses may actually prove to be very much beneficial and it will certainly result in more antibodies’ production against the SARS COV-2 virus. It will also enhance the cellular immune response in the body.
At the press briefing which was organized by the Science Media Center in London, one of the authors involved in the research study, Professor Teresa Lambe, Ph.D., said that a person gets a very strong induction of antibodies with these longer gaps and it’s very motivating for the countries which are facing limited vaccine supplies. Professor Sir Andrew Pollard, Ph.D., F. Med. Sci., her co-author, also explained that this finding is done keeping in terms with the experience from the other vaccines. He also added that at this moment nobody knows how long can someone sit safely with still good levels of protection, but it is certainly longer than a period of three months.
“Booster” jab effectiveness: It has been mentioned in the research that the third dose of the original vaccine taken after more than six months of the second dose induced a stronger boost and immune response against the SARS -COV-2 virus, which also includes the most common variants. The third dose of the vaccine led to a much higher level of antibodies that were capable of neutralizing the COVID-19 variant (alpha, beta, and delta) as compared to what was seen after the second dose. The researchers also emphasized the fact that whether people would require or need a third “booster” jab is still very much in the air. The volunteers who were enrolled in the clinical trial of the AstraZeneca vaccine experienced less ‘reactogenicity’ (milder side effects) after a delayed gap between the second or a third dose as compared to the first dose. Concluding, the research study only included younger volunteers. A study of older adults is still underway and the results are awaited.
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