Study reveals Covid-19 vaccines, antibodies less effective against new variants

According to a study published in the journal Nature Medicine, the present Covid-19 antibodies and vaccines developed so far have been may be less effective against the new variants of UK, Brazil and South Africa, as these can evade the antibodies that work against the original virus.

The researchers said there is a wide variation in how much antibody a person produces in response to vaccination or natural infection. According to the scientists, including those from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis in the US, more of antibodies produced in response to vaccination or natural infection, or purifies antibodies intended for use as drugs, is needed to neutralize these varieties, compared to the levels needed to counter the original virus lineage from Wuhan, China.

Michael S. Diamond, a senior author from the Washington University School of Medicine said, “We’re concerned that people whom we’d expect to have a protective level of have a protective level of antibodies because they have had Covid-19 or been vaccinated against it, might not be protected against the new variants. Some people produce very high levels, and they would still likely be protected against the new worrisome variants. But some people, especially older and immunocompromised people, may not take such high levels of antibodies.”

According to the researchers, people infected with coronavirus generate the most protective antibodies against the virus spike protein which enable it to enter host cells.