Pfizer COVID Vaccine Antibodies May Disappear in 7 Months, Study Says

Oct. 4, 2021 -- Antibody levels whitethorn wane aft 7 months for radical who got the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, according to a new study published connected the bioRxiv preprint server.

In the study, which hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed oregon formally published successful a aesculapian journal,

researchers analyzed humor samples from 46 steadfast young oregon middle-aged adults aft receiving 2 doses, and past 6 months aft the 2nd dose.

“Our survey shows vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine induces precocious levels of neutralizing antibodies against the archetypal vaccine strain, but these levels driblet by astir 10-fold by 7 months,” the researchers told Reuters.

In astir fractional of the adults, neutralizing antibodies were undetectable astatine 6 months aft the 2nd dose, peculiarly against coronavirus variants specified arsenic Delta, Beta, and Mu.

Neutralizing antibodies lone marque up portion of the body’s immune defence against the virus, Reuters noted, but they are inactive “critically important” successful protecting against coronavirus infections.

“These findings suggest that administering a booster dose astatine astir 6 to 7 months pursuing the archetypal immunization volition apt heighten protection,” the survey authors wrote.

BioNTech said a caller vaccine look volition apt beryllium needed by mid-2022 to support against aboriginal mutations of the virus, according to the Financial Times.

“This year, [a antithetic vaccine] is wholly unneeded, but by mid-next year, it could beryllium a antithetic situation,” Ugur Sahin, MD, co-founder and CEO of BioNTech, told the quality outlet.

Current variants, namely the Delta variant, are much contagious than the archetypal coronavirus strain but not antithetic capable to evade existent vaccines, helium said. But caller strains whitethorn beryllium capable to evade boosters.

“This microorganism volition stay, and the microorganism volition further adapt,” Sahin said. “This is simply a continuous evolution, and that improvement has conscionable started.”