Does a third corona vaccination protect even better against the delta variant of the corona virus?
New investigations come to partly surprising results.
As of July 5th, according to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), more than half of the people in Germany had an initial vaccination. And: A total of 39.3 percent of people have already had their second spade and are registered as fully vaccinated by the RKI. But the delta variant of the coronavirus * is on the advance and many are wondering whether a third dose of vaccine could be useful in the foreseeable future. According to reports from
echo24.de
*, there are now new findings.
The problem is that the vaccines against the coronavirus * all had to be newly developed and therefore long-term studies cannot be used.
What there are, however, are studies in which the immune response after a vaccination is analyzed using a blood sample.
Based on the method mentioned, a new study on the corona vaccine was recently carried out by AstraZeneca *, which the portal
hna.de is
currently reporting on.
The result: a third vaccination with the vaccine evidently produces a high immune response.
Third corona vaccination: new study on AstraZeneca surprised
According to reports by
Der Spiegel
, it was also observed in the AstraZeneca study that T-cell responses - which show how long one is immune to a virus - were better after the third dose of AstraZeneca. The study by the University of Oxford and the manufacturer AstraZeneca has not yet been reviewed by independent researchers. In other words: The new findings about the corona vaccination and the immune response should be treated with caution for the time being. And there is one more thing to consider here.
The AstraZeneca study confirms a strong immune response after a third vaccination, but it remains unclear whether a third vaccination is really necessary.
Things look different again in the area of mRNA vaccines from Biontech and Moderna.
A new US study - recently published in the journal
Nature
- comes to the conclusion that after the second dose of an mRNA vaccine, protection could last for years.
Third corona vaccination: another spade?
When that might be necessary
According to reports in
Der Spiegel
, it is therefore questionable whether the majority of all people who have been vaccinated with Biontech or Moderna will even need a third corona vaccination in the foreseeable future.
What is not taken into account in the US study, however, are even more contagious variants of the coronavirus that could occur in the future.
In the US study, the researchers examined the so-called memory cells of the vaccinated subjects.
Know-how memory cells
The memory cells play an important role in vaccination. They ensure that the immune system recognizes pathogens such as viruses that have already been in the body. If the memory cells remember, specific antibodies can be formed quickly. With a vaccination, our body is simulated that it is infected. In the case of a real infection, the body can react quickly to the foreign pathogen after a vaccination.
The data situation for the third corona vaccination with AstraZeneca, Biontech and Moderna is still very poor.
Although there are already initial studies on the overall effectiveness of when or for whom a third vaccination actually makes sense in individual cases, they do not answer them.
And what is the situation after vaccination with Johnson & Johnson?
After all, the vaccine only needs to be inoculated once and should also be effective against the delta variant.
However, it is also unclear here how long the protective effect lasts.
Third corona vaccination: This is known about the effects of Johnson & Johnson
Der
Spiegel
reports, however, of a study on Johnson & Johnson from Israel, which gives indications of at least eight months of immune protection. But just like with AstraZeneca, Biontech and Moderna, new mutations could make it necessary to refresh them more quickly. If necessary, the individual corona vaccines would have to be adjusted. You also have to consider that the elderly or people with special pre-existing conditions may need a refresher more quickly.
Should a booster become necessary, cross-vaccination could be an option for those affected.
Because: The latest studies prove the high effectiveness of cross-vaccinations *, which is why the Stiko in its latest recommendation * advises to be vaccinated with an mRNA vaccine after the first AstraZeneca vaccination.
However, it is also possible that the individual manufacturers themselves develop a booster vaccination that is also adapted to possible new mutations of the coronavirus
+
Some people may soon have to visit a doctor's office again to get another vaccination (symbol picture).
© Swen Pförtner / dpa
The bottom line: New studies such as AstraZeneca show that a third vaccination can trigger an even stronger immune response.
On the other hand, the protective effect is already very high even after two vaccinations.
In this respect, the question of whether a third dose of vaccine helps even better against the delta variant cannot be answered with yes or no.
The fact is that refreshments may be necessary at some point.
*
echo24.de
and hna.de are offers from IPPEN.MEDIA.
List of rubric lists: © Swen Pförtner / dpa
