Posted on 08/18/2021 6:16:30 AM PDT by House Atreides
Early results from a new study led by researchers from the University of Toronto and Sinai Health reveals subtle differences between the immune responses of long-term care residents receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.
The research, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, suggests that long-term care residents in Ontario who received the Pfizer vaccine had lower antibody responses to Alpha, Beta and Gamma variants of COVID-19 than those vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine.
The researchers did not assess the Delta variant.
"Our study does raise concerns about the response to vaccination in some residents of long-term care homes in Ontario who overall responded more weakly to vaccination," said Anne-Claude Gingras, a professor of molecular genetics in U of T's Temerty Faculty of Medicine and a senior scientist at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute (LTI), Sinai Health.
"In this population, the Moderna vaccine permitted more residents to generate an antibody response capable of neutralizing several SARS-CoV-2 variants," added Gingras, who led study with LTRI Senior Scientist Allison McGeer, a professor in U of T's department of laboratory medicine and pathobiology and at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health.
The study, funded by the Government of Canada through the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, was posted last week on medRxiv, the pre-print server for health sciences. It examined the total and neutralizing antibodies produced before and after vaccination, comparing 198 long-term care residents to 78 caregivers and long-term care staff. All vaccines were given three to four weeks apart and samples were taken 14 to 28 days after the second dose of vaccine.
It showed that the differences between resident responses to the two vaccines were more common against variants of concern. Neutralizing antibodies against the Beta variant were undetectable in nearly 38 percent of residents vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine, compared to 11.5 percent of residents vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine.
When it came to the Gamma variant, 29 percent of those vaccinated with Pfizer did not neutralize the variant, whereas only five percent of those vaccinated with Moderna were unable to neutralize Gamma.
It is unknown how these laboratory assays compare to real-life protection from COVID-19.
The study also showed that caregivers and staff, with a median age of 47, produced more neutralizing antibodies compared to residents, whose median age was 89. This is consistent with what is known about immune responses and age.
The scientists note that they only looked at one facet of the immune response—the production of antibodies—adding residents who do not mount strong neutralizing antibody responses may still be protected by other facets of their immune system, such as their T cells.
The levels of antibody needed to protect against COVID-19 infection, severe disease or hospitalization are also unknown.
"The first two waves of the pandemic had a devastating impact on LTC home residents, staff and families," said McGeer. "As we may face a fourth wave of the pandemic, we need to be sure that we are using all the tools we have to ensure that we protect residents and staff from further harm. This includes considering whether a third vaccine dose should be offered to residents."
McGeer said this study is timely given recent reports of several COVID-19 outbreaks due to variants of concern in Ontario long-term care homes.
Catherine Hankins, a co-chair of the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force, said the findings were valuable.
"The question of booster strategies for vulnerable people who may not mount as strong an immune response and who have had a suboptimal reaction to two doses of mRNA vaccines is drawing lots of attention and debate," said Hankins. "The effect of the higher antigen dose in Moderna is clearly part of the puzzle."
Hankins added that the task force is organizing a meta-analysis of data from seven studies that they have supported in long-term care settings, and they expect to have additional insights in the near future.
“… Neutralizing antibodies against the Beta variant were undetectable in nearly 38 percent of residents vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine, compared to 11.5 percent of residents vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine.
When it came to the Gamma variant, 29 percent of those vaccinated with Pfizer did not neutralize the variant, whereas only five percent of those vaccinated with Moderna were unable to neutralize Gamma.…” ************************************************************** This study didn’t include a comparison of efficacy of the later arriving Delta variant. But the Mayo Clinic study did show that the efficacy of the Moderna vaccine against the Delta variant HUGELY exceeded that of the Pfizer vaccine.
It may result in a greater ADE reaction too..,
No one knows yet.
The public isn’t getting enough info on the efficacy differences between Pfizer & Moderna vaccines & others.
When they announce breakthroughs or when reporters write stories about it, they should include which type of vaccine is involved.
Wow
Moderna could very well “prove” itself so miraculous that it corners the market on saving lives .
I hope they earn a Nobel prize
/S
Take liability for your product, a—holes.
The problem is it also has more side effects than Pfizer. Some profound. And it shouldn’t need booster upon booster. Could wreck some otherwise healthy bodies if not careful.
I took Moderna and am totally happy with it. Got an immune response the second shot. Eagerly awaiting the opportunity to get a booster.
Me too! The implanted chip set off the door alarm at WalMart the first few weeks, but the adrenaline rush of outrunning the chubby mask sheriff was awesome.
A barely noticeable headache (1 out of 10) and a little fatigue for 12 hours are all that my wife & I had. Better than being intubated and suffocating.
Mine must have been defective. Haven’t set off any alarms here :-)
I’m hoping the booster shot gives me another opportunity, but there’s no WM mask sheriff any more (at least here in Indiana). She’s back to czarina of the self checkout stations.
“ It may result in a greater ADE reaction too..,…”
**********************************************
Yes, the MUCH FANTASIZED ABOUT but NEVER ARRIVING nightmare the anti-vaxxers dream of and (likely) wish for.
I never hear anything about the J&J. That’s the one my whole family chose and the one I’m hoping my 16 can get (so far she/we are avoiding the Pfizer which is the only one approved for her so far).
Many vaxxed are dying already from when the most recent variant hit - and it hasn’t morphed much yet.
The continual variants will circumvent the spike element by a greater degree as they mutate - creating ADE in a large swath of the vaxxed population… and boosters are simply fighting the last war as mutations go right around them.
The Spike Zone is *much smaller* than the Covid Strike Zone.
Variants will continue to mutate to circumvent the limited coverage of the vax Spike Zone coverage until the virus has run through the population.
It was always going to be that way.
And we won’t see potential autoimmune disease in the vaxxed for at least a year.
“I never hear anything about the J&J….”
***********************************************
I know… they treat it like the proverbial “red headed stepchild”. The same goes with studies to test the “efficacy” of natural immunity compared to that of the vaccines. I’m assuming that the feds are not interested in approving/financing such studies. My bet is that natural immunity would be found to have the highest “efficacy”.
Yes I’m referring to low risk young people.
Moderna was created before anyone ever heard of covid. It’s Gates’ and Fauxi’s baby.
See my tagline.
That’s totally incorrect.
Bill Gates is involved with AstraZeneca not any other Covid vaccine.
Fauci isn’t involved with the making of vaccines.
Trump’s Operation Warp Speed put an Admiral in charge leaving Fauci out.
Fauci got mad and began his media blitz.
Just for the chance to drop two names of people hated around here, doesn’t mean actual facts need to suffer.
Well said.
This may have something to do with it. Moderna uses 3X the dosage of Pfizer.
“Each dose of Pfizer’s contains 30 micrograms of vaccine. Moderna went with a much larger dose of vaccine, 100 micrograms. It means the company is using a little more than three times as much vaccine per person as Pfizer is.”
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