A study by the New England Medical Journal (NEJM) is the latest in a series of studies showing that a dose of coronavirus vaccine gives COVID-19 survivors as much protection as two doses it provides to people who have never been infected. .
“These findings suggest that a single dose of vaccine elicits a very rapid immune response in people who test positive for COVID-19,” said study co-author and renowned Mount Sinai vaccinologist Dr. Florian Krammer.
In fact, the first dose is immunologically similar to the booster dose (second) in people who have not been infected.
But Dr. Anthony Fauci and U.S. health officials insisted that everyone receive two doses of vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer.
So why not give COVID-19 a single shot instead of two?
An expert told DailyMail.com that now that the US has several doses of the vaccine available from three manufacturers, testing people to see if they have previously had coronavirus would likely create a “blockage” in the launch process. rather than stretching the supply to protect more people faster.
Researchers at Mount Sinai found that people who were previously infected with coronavirus (yellow) had antibody levels 10 to 20 times higher after their first dose compared to post-first dose levels for people who did not have COVID- 19 (blue).
At least 29 million Americans already have coronavirus.
Giving them one shot instead of two could mean an additional 29 million doses for the hundreds of millions of Americans who have never had the virus and developed immunity to it – or enough to fully vaccinate 14.5 million. of people.
The scientists behind the new study, published Wednesday, believe their research could shed some light on those who might have a more dramatic reaction to vaccines and why.
Dr. Krammer, Dr. Viviana Simon and their colleagues studied a total of about 240 people.
The first group consisted of 109 people, about half of whom had coronavirus antibodies in their bloodstream, which means they were previously infected and developed some immunity to infection.
Antibodies begin to form in anyone receiving a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, but it usually takes weeks to reach the peak after the first dose, and a second dose is still needed to drive the antibodies to optimal levels of protection.
In the study, participants who had previously tested positive for COVID-19 had 10 to 20 times higher blood antibody levels within a few days of their first dose.
At the time of receiving the second dose, the antibody levels of the group were 10 times higher than those who had not been previously infected (but who also had the second vaccine).
In other words, coronavirus survivors had about the same level of immunity after a single dose as people who never had a coronavirus but received two doses of the vaccine.
Just as the first dose acts as a “prime” for people with a negative covid, scientists suspect that the previous infection boosts the immune system, and the second dose brings it to full speed to fight coronavirus infection.
People whose immune systems were already “ready” to respond to the coronavirus due to a previous (yellow) infection were much more likely to have side effects from strokes – especially systemic effects such as fatigue, headaches, fever, and muscle aches. or joints
The study also provided a potential clue as to why some people do not have significant reactions to COVID-19 vaccination, while others are left with red lips, arm pain and may be sitting for a few days after two shots.
The 83 survivors of COVID-19 in a subgroup of 231 study participants were more likely to have arm pain, swelling and redness, as well as more systemic effects such as fatigue, headache, fever. chills and muscle or joint pain.
Does this mean that people who have severe shooting reactions have previously had COVID-19, potentially without knowing it? Not necessarily, but this may be the case for some.
Researchers in Mount Sinai have gone so far as to suggest that screening potential recipients of the coronavirus antibody vaccine could expand the supply of vaccines and reduce the proportion of people with more significant side effects.
“If the screening process determines the presence of antibodies due to previous infection, then a second shot of the coronavirus vaccine may not be necessary for the individual,” said Dr. Simon.
And if this approach translates into public health policies, it could not only expand limited vaccine reserves, but also control the more frequent and pronounced reactions to those vaccines experienced by COVID-19 survivors.
The United Kingdom joined the United States in the early days of their respective vaccine launches. First, the British received photos at a faster rate, due to several factors, including the fact that they approved vaccines earlier and developed a more cohesive logistics system (in a smaller country).
But the nation has also taken a one-dose experimental approach, allowing the British to delay the second dose of photos from Moderna or Pfizer by up to 12 weeks, instead focusing on getting a first dose and some protection. for as many people as possible, as fast as possible.
US officials have rejected the program, despite growing evidence that a single dose provides considerable protection.
And now it is possible that the plan suggested by Dr. Simon has lost the window of opportunity to be useful.
“We are now on track to have a sufficient amount … so I wouldn’t think the FDA would be inclined” to embrace the scheme suggested by the Mount Sinai team’s findings, Public Health Medicine Center President Peter Pitts told DailyMail.com.
States are to receive 15.8 million doses of vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer this week.
Demand among eligible people in excess of supply is becoming less and less problematic.
And Pitts worries that the antibody screening strategy before vaccinating people could continue to support the process of taking doses in the arms, which is already a considerable barrier.
Quoting twentieth-century journalist and satirist HL Mencken, Pitts said, “For every complex problem there is a simple solution that is wrong;” I think the scientists on Mount Sinai fell into that trap, because that would create a massive blockage.