A new study compares antibody levels in COVID-19 vaccine recipients. Researchers say that one must not consider the number of antibodies in a vaccine as a basis of effectiveness.
Antibody levels in COVID-19 vaccine: Pfizer vs Moderna
Scientists from the School of Medicine at the University of Virginia quantified the antibody responses produced by two vaccines. The research found that the antibody levels of people who took the Moderna vaccine were slightly high. However, it was slightly less in those who took Pfizer’s shot. It also highlights that the vaccines perform exceptionally. Additionally, this leads research to a step ahead to determine which vaccine is superior for particular demographics. “So far there hasn’t been too much head-to-head analysis of the two major vaccines that are used in the US,” said Dr, Jeffery Wilson. Wilson, part of the research team is an immunologist and allergist at the University of Virginia.
The study analyzed 167 samples from employees of the university who received the vaccines. Out of them, 79 received the Pfizer shot and 88 the Moderna vaccine. The team measured the magnitude of IgG antibodies in the recipients’ blood against the spike proteins. IgG or immunoglobulin is the most common antibody produced by our body against allergens. Moreover, “we compared the magnitude of the responses. And, we were a little bit surprised, but we did see a difference,” added Wilson.
Both vaccines fight head to head against COVID-19
The study revealed that the Moderna vaccine produces more antibodies in the blood after the second shot. After all, the Moderna vaccine produced 68.5 micrograms of antibodies per milliliter of blood. And, the Pfizer shot produced 45.9 micrograms of blood per milliliter of blood in the recipients. “The thing that will be interesting is figuring out if measuring antibody levels end up being a good marker of vaccine protection. At the moment, we don’t know for sure,” added Wilson.
The study group was split into groups of people over and below the age of 50. “We compared the magnitude of the responses and we were a little bit surprised, but we did see a difference. Relatively younger folks who got the Pfizer vaccine had a response that looked pretty much like Moderna,” he said. However, the researcher endorsed both vaccines without hesitation. After all, they will greatly reduce the risk of serious illness and death.