Good Antibodies Found In Those Who Take Second Covishield Dose After 4 Weeks: Study

A study conducted by the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Research in Bengaluru on 140 healthcare staff members who were vaccinated with both doses of Covishield, indicated about 78 per cent of the recipients developed a strong amount of antibodies.

"We did a study in March second week, exactly after four weeks of the health care workers receiving both shots of the vaccine. Most of our employees showed a good amount of antibodies generated in them," Dr Manjunath C N, Director of the institute, who spearheaded the study, said.

"We know that Covishield is given in two doses — the first initiates an immune response and the second 'booster shot' strengthens it. The participants chosen for the study took their first jab in January and the second dose in the last week of February. Health care workers' comorbidities were also taken into consideration. A month after their second dose, the antibody test was done on these participants," he explained.

"We noticed that the antibodies they had developed after a four-week gap had prevented them from even getting reinfected," he said reported The New Indian Express

While the four-week interval between doses was the Center's initial announcement, he said it was "completely scientific" and that there was reason to stretch the interval to 12 weeks, when antibody generation would be much more. There are findings that show a 12-week delay between vaccine doses will result in a greater antibody response than four-week intervals. In the near future, the hospital will do a report to equate the two.

"We intend to do another study soon to check if the antibody levels when compared to the earlier study, are high or low after a gap of eight weeks in some of the frontline workers who have taken the jab later in February or March," he added.

Also Read: Singapore Shuts Down Schools, Warns Of New Virus Strain Infecting More Children