Saptaparna Dasgupta, Bennett University
A recently published new study states that both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine immune system reactions have proved to offer long-lasting protection against COVID-19. mRNA vaccines have created more and better germinal centre B cell responses, thus indicating that the immunity system would be much more impactful and offer long-lasting protection against COVID-19.
What the experts say
Dr Ali Ellebedy, an associate professor at the Washington University School of Medicine said that germinal centres are the prerequisite for a protective response generated from the immune system. Also, he added that due to the selection process going on in our body, such germinal centres are formed for prolonged immunity. Research shows that due to the longer efficacy of the mRNA vaccine, the requirement for booster shots could be prevented. It was depicted in the participants, four months after getting the first Pfizer dose, the germinal centres were created in their lymph nodes. Through this node, the B cells keep pumping out and therefore offer long-lasting protection against COVID-19 (in Fig 1). Post 15 weeks of the vaccination, the germinal centres did not decline and were reported to pump out at a steady state. Dr Gerald Evans, the chair of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Queen’s University, stated that mutation in the virus was potential enough to hinder the effects of these vaccines and thus, do not offer long-lasting protection against COVID-19.
Fig 1. The immune response created in the human body through the germinal center B cell post mRNA vaccination ( created using BioRender.com).
Conclusory remarks from the University of Oxford
Moreover, a study conducted by Oxford University depicts that the mixed variety of these vaccines induce the production of a high concentration of antibodies to offer long-lasting protection against COVID-19. The antibodies were administered and monitored at a gap of four weeks against the spike IgG protein of SARS-CoV-2. Professor Matthew Snape, the Associate Professor in Paediatrics and Vaccinology at the University of Oxford regarded the observation of the vaccine results to the mixed dose schedules. As the monitoring was done four weeks after the shot, the results are quicker than the eight-to-12-week scheduled vaccines.
The future goals regarding COVID-19
This project, which is funded by the UK government, further seeks to assess the possible use of another vaccine as a first “prime” to the follow-up “booster” vaccines.
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Source:
- Lao, D. (2021, June 29). Study finds Pfizer, Moderna vaccine immunity lasts longer. Do we still need booster shots?. Retrieved June 29, 2021, from https:globalnews.ca/news/7987378/study-covid-booster-shots-mrna/
- Ani. (2021, June 29). Oxford study says mixing Covid-19 vaccines gives robust protection. Retrieved June 29, 2021, from https:www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/oxford-study-says-mixing-covid-19-vaccines-gives-robust-protection-121062900120_1.html
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