Study finds positive immune response in healthcare workers six months after vaccination
The Hindu
Research was taken up by Jayadeva institute to assess need for booster shot
A study to assess the need for a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine taken up at the State-run Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences in Bengaluru has found that 99% of a group of 250 healthcare workers, who received their second dose in February, showed positive antibody response even six months later.
Of the 250 healthcare workers, 20% were delayed responders. Initially, these 20% workers did not show a positive immune response in April when they took their first dose. Now, six months after their second dose (in February), they showed a significant improvement in antibody levels.
Institute director C.N. Manjunath told The Hindu that 19 (7.6%) of the healthcare workers, who were both COVID-19 infected and vaccinated, had shown the highest antibody responses. “Although 10 healthcare workers (4%) showed a decline in antibody levels from April to September, they still remain in the positive immune response limits of above 30,” he said. Doctors from the Department of Microbiology at the institute checked the robustness and longevity of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the group. They conducted tests for IgG neutralising antibody levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or ELISA method. The group aged above 45 included 125 female health staff.