News Analysis India

Tag: Antibody

  • Single dose of Covaxin may be enough for people who recovered from COVID-19: Study

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A single dose of Bharat Biotech’s Covaxin in previously COVID-19-infected individuals elicits a similar antibody response as obtained with two doses of the vaccine in those without a previous history of the disease, according to an ICMR study.

    The study was published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research on Saturday.

    “If our preliminary findings are confirmed in large population studies, a single dose of BBV152 vaccine may be recommended to previously confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals so that the naive individuals could attain the larger benefit of a limited vaccine supply,” it said.

    India’s first indigenous COVID-19 vaccine Covaxin, codenamed BBV152, was approved by the government for emergency use in January.

    Two doses are given with a gap of four to six weeks.

    The study was undertaken to examine SARS-CoV-2–specific antibody responses after day zero (baseline, before vaccination), day 28 plus/minus two days post-first dose (month 1) and day 56 plus/minus two days post-first dose (month 2) of BBV152 in a group of healthcare professionals as well as frontline workers.

    The antibody response of individuals with confirmed pre-vaccination SARSCoV-2 infection was compared with those individuals without prior evidence of infection.

    As a part of the study, blood samples were collected from 114 healthcare professionals and frontline workers who received Covaxin at vaccination centres in Chennai from February to May 2021.

    “Overall, good vaccine-induced antibody responses were seen in prior SARS-CoV-2–infected individuals, except in two, who received a single dose of BBV152 vaccine that was similar to antibody responses seen after a two-dose vaccination course administered to infection-naive individuals,” the study stated.

    “Our results in a varied group of healthcare professionals and frontline workers lend support to the previous studies (albeit mainly focused on mRNA vaccines) that increased levels of SARS-CoV-2 binding and neutralizing antibodies are present after a single vaccine dose in previously infected individuals and are comparable to the levels seen after two doses in those without prior infection,” it added.

    The study offers evidence in support of public health-oriented and immunologically sustained vaccine strategies.

  • For Covid-cured, one dose of Covaxin is equivalent to two doses, says study

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Those who have got one dose of Covaxin after having contracted Covid infection before may have the same level of protection against the disease as those without prior infection but two doses of this Covid vaccine, a latest ICMR study has said. 

    Covaxin, a whole inactivated virus-based vaccine against coronavirus has been jointly developed by Bharat Biotech and ICMR. 

    In a pilot study conducted on 114 healthcare professionals, it has now been found that previous infection plus the first dose of Covaxin is equivalent to two doses of the vaccine in individuals who have not been infected by the virus. 

    For the research, blood samples were collected from 114 healthcare professionals and frontline workers who received Covaxin from February to May this year by scientists attached with ICMR’s National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, and the Division of Epidemiology & Communicable Diseases. 

    Of the individuals studied, 30 had a history of exposure to the virus while others did not. 

    ALSO READ | UP administers 1 crore doses of Covid vaccine in 11 days, crosses 7 crore vaccination mark

    Prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 was determined at baseline and serum samples were used to estimate SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein-specific IgG (IgG N), spike protein-specific (IgG S) and neutralizing antibodies (NAb). 

    Overall, good vaccine-induced antibody responses were seen in prior SARS-CoV-2–infected individuals, except in two, who received a single dose of Covaxin that was similar to antibody responses seen after a two-dose vaccination course administered to infection-naïve individuals. 

    “Our results in a varied group of healthcare professionals and frontline workers lend support to the previous studies (albeit mainly focused on mRNA vaccines) that increased levels of SARS-CoV-2 binding and neutralizing antibodies are present after a single vaccine dose in previously infected individuals and are comparable to the levels seen after two doses in those without prior infection,” the authors said.

    Their paper also said that in conclusion, almost all participants with prior Covid infection, except two, had detectable antibodies at the time of vaccination.

    The study offers evidence in support of public health-oriented and immunologically sustained vaccine strategies, the scientist noted.

    They added that if these preliminary findings are confirmed in large population studies, a single dose of the Covaxin vaccine may be recommended to previously confirmed Covid infected individuals so that the naïve individuals could attain the larger benefit of a limited vaccine supply.

  • Trials Begin Of New Antibody Treatment To Prevent Infection Soon After Exposure

    Amid surging coronavirus cases across the world, a new antibody treatment is being trialled in hopes that it could prevent people from developing the deadly virus after being exposed to the disease. According to SkyNews, the antibody, known as AZD7442, has been developed by UK-based pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and is now being looked by the University College London Hospitals NHS Trust as part of a new trial called Storm Chaser. So far, ten people have been injected with the new antibody as part of the trial and UCLH aims to recruit 1,125 people worldwide. 

    Dr. Catherine Houlihan, who is the UCLH virologist and who is also leading the campaign, said that the officials, for now, know that the antibody combination can neutralise the virus. She added that authorities hope to find that giving this treatment via injection can lead to immediate protection against the development of coronavirus in people who have been exposed. Further, she informed that UCLH aims to inject people from key groups, including healthcare workers, students in shared accommodation, the military and those who recently have been exposed to the deadly virus. 

  • Brazil President Bolsonaro Says ‘COVID-19 Vaccine Can Turn People Into Crocodiles’

    In a bizarre remark on COVID-19 vaccines, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said that the vaccine developed by Pfizer- BioNTech could turn people into ‘crocodiles’ or ‘bearded ladies’. Earlier this weak, when Brazil launched its mass inoculation drive, Bolsonaro said that he won’t get vaccinated. Ever since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe, the Brazilian President has been sceptical of the virus and also termed it as a “little flu”.

    As per the local media reports, Jair Bolsonaro said that he will not need the COVID-19 vaccine because he has already tested positive for Coronavirus due to which his body has developed the antibodies for the virus. This statement from the country’s President comes when Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has been undergoing trials in Brazil. Meanwhile, Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is already being used in the United States and Britain.