A new study released this week suggests that if you got a booster shot against Coronavirus disease, you probably won’t need another for several months or years.
Those who received three mRNA vaccinations from Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna will have a wide array of antibodies in their body. These particular antibodies are that are very effective in preventing death and severe illness. Also, these antibodies are effective in protecting against other Corona variants, according to the study reported by Apoorva Mandavilli for The New York Times. The study suggests that just two or three doses of a Covid vaccine are enough to protect the majority of people from severe illness and death.
“We’re starting to see now diminishing returns on the number of additional doses,” said John Wherry, director of the Institute for immunology at the University of Pennsylvania. However, people aged over 65 or at severe illness may benefit from another booster shot or fourth vaccine. But fourth vaccine dose not necessary for most people, according to John Wherry.
The federal health officials said that they are not recommending the fourth dose of vaccine anytime soon.
Around four studies have found that our immune system is using specialized T cells produced by the vaccines or after a covid infection. So, our immune system can remember and attack the virus or variants after several months or even years. Scientists have already identified similar or exact responses in people infected with the SARS coronavirus.
“You will see a decrease of the antibody levels over time, but if memory B cells are still there, and memory T cells are still there, they can kick back into action relatively quickly,” said Alessandro Sette, an immunologist at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology and a researcher who led the new study of T cells, published in Cell.
The study found that these specialized immune cells called T cells are produced after the vaccination by four brands of Covid vaccine. The brands are Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson, and Novavax. These T cells are about 80 percent effective and powerful against Omicron as other variants.
“Memory responses can last for ages,” said Wendy Burgers, an immunologist at the University of Cape Town “Potentially, the T-cell response is extremely long-lived.”
A study found that people who are exposed or infected by the SARS Coronavirus during the 2003 outbreak still carried T cells that could remember and attack the virus more than 17 years later.
“One of the things that we’re going be following very carefully is what the durability of the protection is following the third dose of an mRNA vaccine,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Joe Biden’s chief medical advisor. “If the protection is much more durable than the two-dose non-boosted group, and we may go a significant period of time without requiring a fourth dose.”
Sweden and Israel are the first to offer the additional booster to high-risk communities and people aged above 65.
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