A new study explains why those who had the coronavirus before receiving their first two COVID-19 vaccines may still be at risk of contracting it again.
According to a review of the study conducted by Canadian researchers and published in January, prior studies revealed that hybrid immunity, or the combination of the COVID-19 vaccine and infection, may offer the highest defense against reinfection regardless of the order.
COVID-19 Vaccines Efficacy
But, a recent study reveals that the order may matter and was published on March 15 in the peer-reviewed medical journal Immunity.
Researchers discovered those vaccinated without having contracted the virus were the most protected against COVID-19 after analyzing blood samples from those who received two doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine and unvaccinated people who contracted the virus, according to a National Institutes of Health news release on the findings on March 20.
In the end, the study found that those who received a vaccination after contracting COVID-19 were still more protected than those who had not received a vaccination.
The Wolcott and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the Center for Human Systems Immunology, the Sean N. Parker Center, and the Sunshine Foundation all provided funding for the project.
According to the study, the reason why people who received the vaccine but had never been infected with COVID-19 were the most protected is that a key cell’s immune response to the vaccine is damaged by past infection.
In particular, the study discovered that COVID-19 infection impairs the CD8+ T cell response, which can aid in the killing of virus-infected cells.
a recent study discovered
Read more: State agencies monitor radioactive chemical leak in Monticello, Minnesota
New study
Without a history of COVID-19 infection, those who received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine experienced robust immune reactions.
Moreover, The US government’s exclusive purchase of COVID-19 vaccines is a significant change from the customary public-private approach to vaccine programs. As this approach is phased out, the US is at a critical point in vaccine policy.
There has been no comprehensive plan for transitioning the COVID-19 vaccine marketplace, and routine immunization rates have decreased during the pandemic.
As the government winds down its emergency response, it has the chance to learn from the COVID-19 vaccination campaign and reform existing vaccine programs to improve infrastructure and effectiveness.
Read more: Study: The Mediterranean diet may reduce risk of heart disease in women
