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Safe to mix and match Covid booster doses: US National Institutes of Health

WION Web Team
New York, United StatesUpdated: Jan 28, 2022, 04:21 PM IST
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In comparison to homologous or matched boosters, heterologous or mixed boosters elicited similar or higher antibody responses. Photograph:(AFP)

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Results reported in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that both primary and booster vaccines resulted in higher levels of neutralizing antibodies compared to those detected before the booster

Booster doses of any COVID-19 vaccine are safe and induce an immune response when given to individuals who have already received the full regimen of one of the authorised COVID-19 vaccines, according to a preliminary study conducted by the US National Institutes of Health.

Results reported in The New England Journal of Medicine showed that both primary and booster vaccines resulted in higher levels of neutralizing antibodies compared to those detected before the booster. Antibodies detected after the booster range from 4.2- to 76-fold higher than those found before.

Furthermore, all primary-boost combinations resulted in an increase of 4.6- to 56-fold in binding antibody levels.

The newly released report analyses data from 458 adults who had received at least 12 weeks prior to enrollment, full vaccinations with any of three authorised Covid vaccines in the US: Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson and did not have a history of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Participants received a single booster dose at enrollment: 150 received Janssen/Johnson & Johnson*s vaccine, 154 received Moderna vaccine, and 154 received Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

Based on the participant's initial vaccination regimen, the booster vaccine was either different (mixed, or heterologous) from or the same (matched, or homologous) as the first vaccine. 

Each participant kept a diary to record any side effects. Over half of the participants complained of headaches, pain at the injection site, muscle aches, and malaise.

However, serious adverse reactions were not reported.

In comparison to homologous or matched boosters, heterologous or mixed boosters elicited similar or higher antibody responses.

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"These data strongly suggest that homologous and heterologous booster vaccine will increase protective efficacy against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection," the study showed.

This report summarizes vaccination-related data through the first 29 days following booster vaccination.

Researchers plan to follow participants for one year to determine if booster vaccinations have any effect on longer-term immune responses.

(With inputs from agencies)