Oxford
COVID vaccine produces strong immune response from booster shot - study
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[June 28, 2021]
By Alistair Smout
LONDON (Reuters) - A third shot of the
Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine produces a strong immune response,
researchers said on Monday, adding there was not yet evidence that such
shots were needed, especially given shortages in some countries.
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The Oxford University study found that a third dose of the vaccine
increases antibody and T-cell immune responses, while the second
dose can be delayed up to 45 weeks and also lead to an enhanced
immune response.
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 vaccine.
Andrew Pollard, director of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said that
evidence that the vaccine protects against current variants for a
sustained period of time meant that such a booster may not be
needed.
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"We do have to be in a position where we could boost if it turned
out that was necessary ... (but) we don't have any evidence that
that is required," he told reporters.
"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."
Studies had previously shown that 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.
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![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2021/Jun/28/images/ads/current/farmersbank_lda_HOMETOWNHEROS_2021.png) Monday's research was released
in a preprint, and looked at 30 participants who
received a late second dose and 90 who received
a third dose, all of whom were under 55.
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.
"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," study author
Teresa Lambe of Oxford's Jenner Institute told
Reuters.
(Reporting by Alistair Smout; additional
reporting by Natalie Thomas; Editing by Gareth
Jones)
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