COVID-19: AstraZeneca vaccine produces strong immune response from booster shot

According to a study, the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine produces a strong immune response, but there was not yet evidence that such shots were needed, especially given shortages in some countries.

The director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, Andrew Pollard said that, the vaccine protects against current variants for a sustained period of time meant that such a booster may not be needed.

“We do have to be in a position where we could boost if it turned out that was necessary, we don’t have any evidence that that is required.

“At this point with a high level of protection in the UK population and no evidence of that being lost, to give third doses now in the UK whilst other countries have zero doses is not acceptable,” he said.

According to studies  previously shown, the shot invented at Oxford University and licensed to AstraZeneca has higher efficacy when the second dose is delayed to 12 weeks instead of four weeks.

It helps assuage concerns that viral vector COVID vaccines, such as those made by AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, may lose their potency if annual inoculations are needed due to the risk that the body produces an immune response against the vectors that deliver the vaccine’s genetic information.

A study author, Teresa Lambe of Oxford’s Jenner Institute said, “There had been some concerns that we would not be able to use this vaccine in a booster vaccination regime, and that’s certainly not what the data is suggesting.”

The British government has said, it is looking at plans for an autumn vaccine booster campaign, with three-fifths of adults already having received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

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Kamila/Reuters