Do booster shots work?
The Hindu
A recent study measures the level of antibodies before and after a booster dose
Studies from Israel and the U.S. have documented increased incidence of breakthrough infections a few months after the second dose of the mRNA vaccines. The Israel study showed that the waning immunity after the second dose was not only responsible for breakthrough infections but also severe disease in some people, with older people being particularly vulnerable. Though a small proportion of fully vaccinated people tend to suffer from severe disease and death, all COVID-19 vaccines have so far been found to be largely effective in protecting the fully vaccinated from hospitalisation and death.
The increased incidence of breakthrough infections has led to a few countries administering booster shots.
Now, a small study involving just 33 participants measured the antibody responses before and soon after a booster dose was administered. These participants had already received two doses of either the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccine with or without prior infection. The study found “large antibody responses” soon after the booster dose was administered. The study is posted as a preprint in the medRxiv server. (Preprints are yet to be peer-reviewed and published in scientific journals.)
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