A recent study has revealed that receiving a COVID-19 booster shot provides longer-lasting immunity compared to just the initial series of vaccinations. The research, conducted at York University’s Centre for Disease Modelling in the Faculty of Science, also uncovered surprising insights into the impact of age, gender, and underlying health conditions on the immune response. Considering a spring-time booster shot? This study offers valuable information about its effectiveness.The impact of ties on the immune response is examined by researchers. The study’s authors, including Doctoral researchers Chapin Korosec and David Dick, Applied Mathematics Professor Iain Moyles, and Professor James Watmough from the University of New Brunswick, used health data from over 150 individuals who received Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to analyze the longevity of immunity. Their mathematical approach aims to create models of the immune system and calibrate them using healthcare data.ta in order to advance our understanding of the human immune system. Korosec, the study’s lead author, found it fascinating to observe the significant increase in protective longevity capacity of the SARS-CoV-2 booster dose compared to the primary series of two doses. The study, published today in the journal Scientific Reports, utilized Canadian vaccine data obtained from individuals residing in long-term care facilities and frontline health-care workers in long-term care and hospitals. Overall, the median length for the antibody half-life immune response was 63 days for the primary series.
It’s important to note that the duration of protection from the initial COVID-19 vaccine series decreased over time, and increased to 115 days for those who went on to receive their boosters, a statistically significant finding, says Korosec.
It is well-established that age can affect how adept the body is at priming an immune response after vaccines, so much so that advanced age is considered a comorbidity itself, says Korosec.
“Chronological age is your time since birth. But you also have an immunological age, which is correlated to your chronological age, and is related to how your body loses its ability to prime against invading pathogens and produce antibodies as time marches on,” explains Korosec. “What’s convoluted is that as we ageThe likelihood of developing diseases that can impact the immune system in unexpected ways increases as we age. Researchers delved into this topic and discovered that older adults may have a weaker immune response, but when they accounted for other health conditions such as hypertension, lung disease, and cancer, age was no longer a significant factor in the immune response. Additional noteworthy findings revealed a slightly stronger immune response in males compared to females, and individuals with asthma had a more durable immune response.le, actually, than those with hybrid immunity from vaccines and contracting COVID-19.
“We discovered that some results were surprising and warrant further investigation, but we are not advocating for any specific comorbidity to be beneficial,” says Dick. “We do not have any data from this study on how asthma would impact the severity of the COVID-19 illness, for instance.”
Aside from the specific findings, the researchers also emphasize the significance of interdisciplinary research and are enthusiastic about the potential for collaboration, with plans to establish York’s medical school in 2028.
“While we all come from different backgrounds, we are united in our commitment to improving public health,” says Dick.According to Korosec, the data used in the study comes from clinicians who have gone through medical school and are now professors specializing in immunology. This demonstrates how individuals with different expertise can collaborate to conduct fascinating scientific research. Moyles adds that York has a strong applied math program and the recent announcement of a medical school at the university presents an opportunity for interdisciplinary research. Access to data from clinicians at York could significantly reduce research timelines and hold great potential for future research at the university
