Jahnavi Sarma
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Written By: Jahnavi Sarma | Updated : August 12, 2021 12:07 PM IST
Omicron scare spurs calls for booster doses against Covid-19
It is now a known fact that two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine is not enough to trigger a good immune response against the virus in transplant patients. There have also been concerns about possible organ rejection in such patients because of repeated vaccinations. But a third booster dose may actually be a boon for such patients. According to a new study by scientists with the Ajmera Transplant Centre at UHN, third dose COVID-19 booster vaccine for transplant patients shows substantially improved protection. They came to this conclusion after conducting a first-in-the-world randomized placebo-controlled trial of the booster dose. This study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
According to researchers, a third dose of COVID vaccine is definitely the best way to increase protection in transplant recipients. For the purpose of the study, they enrolled 120 transplant patients between May 25th and June 3rd. None of the study participants had COVID-19 previously and all of them had received two doses of the Moderna vaccine. Half of them received a third shot of the vaccine (at the 2-month mark after their second dose) and the other half received placebo. The primary outcome was based on antibody level greater than 100 U/ml against the spike protein of the virus. Researchers saw that, in the placebo group, after three doses (where the third dose was a placebo), the response rate was only 18 per cent. But, in the Moderna three-dose group, the response rate was 55 per cent.
This study also analysed at the effectiveness of neutralizing antibodies -- antibodies that neutralize the virus. They saw that 60 per cent of the patients in the Moderna group developed neutralizing antibodies versus 25 pr cent in the placebo group.
Researchers also saw a significant difference in T-cell response between the two groups of participants. T-cells are another arm of the immune system that functions to prevent severe disease, and there was a substantial improvement in the ability of the three-dose Moderna group to allow the patients to develop a robust T-cell response against the virus.
Researchers are euphoric over this finding because there has been an ongoing debate about the safety and efficacy of vaccines on transplant patients. In the above-mentioned study, researchers saw that the third dose was safe and well tolerated by patients. Participants reported only mild side effects and the jab did not cause acute organ rejections. Researchers are positive that this can make a huge difference to this vulnerable population.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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