In a new study from the National Institutes of Health, researchers found a booster dose of the mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine may strongly increase levels of neutralizing antibodies against all known SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.
They showed that the increased neutralizing antibody responses were sustained for at least eight weeks after the boost, were much higher than after the primary vaccine series, and generated high-level protection.
These data suggest that boosting triggers a strong immune memory response and potentially longer-lasting immunity.
The researchers also determined that both the mRNA-1273 vaccine developed to target the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and a slightly modified version of the vaccine targeting the Beta variant were equivalent in their ability to boost antibody responses and protect.
This study was performed six months ago when the SARS-CoV-2 Beta variant was a major concern.
The researchers focused on the Beta variant because it has consistently shown the greatest ability to resist neutralization—by likely reducing vaccine effectiveness.
While Delta has become the dominant virus variant in the United States, because of its high transmissibility, it has only an intermediate ability to resist neutralization.
The scientists say that in people, an mRNA-1273 booster vaccine may improve the duration and potency of protection against upper and lower airway infection by any of the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Delta.
They note that this would be especially important to maintain protection against severe disease and possibly limit mild infection and virus transmission.
Their results support vaccine boosting in the elderly, people with pre-existing health conditions, those at high-risk exposure, and those who responded poorly to primary vaccination.
If you care about COVID vaccines, please read studies about this vaccine may fight all COVID-19 variants effectively and findings of people who get Moderna COVID-19 vaccine do not need a booster shot.
For more information about COVID and your health, please see recent studies about lasting immunity and protection from new single-shot COVID-19 vaccine and results showing that new COVID-19 nasal vaccine effective at preventing disease transmission.
The study is published in Science.
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