US Study Finds Covid Vaccine May Not Be Effective Towards SARS-CoV-2 Exposure
Recently published study by American researchers found an increase in the number of SARS-CoV-2 infections after vaccination due to high exposure to the virus. The study was published in the Nature Communications journal, whose findings suggested densely crowded settings were affecting people’s protection.
The study was conducted to comprehend the effectiveness of the immunity provided by the vaccines administered after the rise in infections. The study suggested that masking, maintaining distance and improvement in ventilation would help curb the effects of exposure to the virus.
The researchers tracked the infection among residents at a correctional facility last year during the two waves of COVID and determined the number of people who were residing with an infected cellmate.
Researchers have published new findings in Nature Communications that shows high levels of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 may reduce protection from COVID-19 vaccines and prior infection of the virus. Learn why: https://t.co/9TAxIJoptU pic.twitter.com/0pdh3f1Mwf
— Inside Precision Medicine (@Inside_PM) August 23, 2023
They found that during the two waves of the Covid infections, the acquired immunity of the residents was weaker in residents residing with an infected inmate. It was true in both cases- acquired immunity after vaccination, before infection and both vaccination and infection.
Specifically, the vaccination during the Delta variant was effective by 68% in unexposed residents. Whereas it dropped to nearly 26% when they resided with an infected cellmate.
Hybrid immunity was found to provide more immunity than vaccination alone- the study found 95% effectiveness in non-exposed residents. Whereas, 71% of the hybrid immunization in virus-exposed residents was effective.
The researchers noted that the exposure to Omicron was more harmful than the Delta variant. This was proven by the significant difference in the effectiveness of the immunization (both hybrid and vaccine-only).
The effectiveness of the hybrid immunity was found to be only 20% during the Omicron infection when a resident was exposed to the virus through an infected inmate. However, the immunity was able to provide 76% protection to the residents who were not exposed to the virus.
The study was said to be the first of its kind where real-world evidence was provided for the leaky nature of immunity conferred by vaccination and infection.
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