A COVID-19 booster vaccination markedly increases immune response in residents and staff within care homes.
A COVID-19 booster vaccination markedly increases immune response in residents and staff within care homes. A COVID-19 booster vaccination markedly increases immune response in residents and staff within care homes, making it vital that people living and working in these settings get their third 'jab', a new study reveals. Age and frailty are already recognised as major risk factors for severe COVID-19 outcomes, with elderly residents of long-term care facilities suffering much higher rates of mortality during the pandemic than the general population. Single or dual COVID-19 vaccination has provided strong clinical protection against severe disease within this group, but there has been concern about the potential impact of immunity waning and the need for vaccine boosters in those at greatest risk. Researchers studied immune responses in 134 staff and residents in 19 long-term care homes who had received an mRNA booster vaccine (Pfizer), following two doses of either the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccines. Led by scientists at the University of Birmingham and University College London (UCL), the research team published their preprint article on SSRN (yet to be peer-reviewed), revealing that SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody responses were substantially increased in this vulnerable population after a third dose of vaccine - calculated from blood samples collected from 25th May to 18th November 2021. Median time of sample collection after booster shot was 28 days for this cohort.
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