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Saturday, Feb 22, 2025
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Covid vaccines less effective against BA4/5 variants, still effective against death and severe symptoms
Researchers found that both BioNTech and Sinovac Covid saw the antibody level against BA4/5 Covid variants decrease sharply but can still effectively reduce patients’ risk of death and severe conditions after infection.
The findings were published in the Journal of Clinical Virology under a study jointly conducted by the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
The research team analyzed the serum of 104 patients, including those infected with the original strain of Covid-19; those who had received three doses of BioNTech or Sinovac; and those who had not been jabbed but were infected with BA.2.
The result showed that these people's antibody levels declined by around 90 percent when against BA4/5 virus variants.
“Either BioNTech or Sinovac was found with antibody levels falling against the BA4 and BA.5 virus variant of Covid,” said Leo Poon Lit-man, a professor and Division Head of HKU’s Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences.
However, the research team found people who were vaccinated showed higher antibody levels towards BA.2 variants than people who never received jabs.
“Both types of vaccines can contribute to reducing the risk of death and appearing serious symptoms when people were infected with Covid if they were triple-vaccinated,” Poon added, claiming it is still of significance for citizens to raise the vaccination rate.
The research team analyzed the serum of 104 patients, including those infected with the original strain of Covid-19; those who had received three doses of BioNTech or Sinovac; and those who had not been jabbed but were infected with BA.2.
The result showed that these people's antibody levels declined by around 90 percent when against BA4/5 virus variants.
“Either BioNTech or Sinovac was found with antibody levels falling against the BA4 and BA.5 virus variant of Covid,” said Leo Poon Lit-man, a professor and Division Head of HKU’s Division of Public Health Laboratory Sciences.
However, the research team found people who were vaccinated showed higher antibody levels towards BA.2 variants than people who never received jabs.
“Both types of vaccines can contribute to reducing the risk of death and appearing serious symptoms when people were infected with Covid if they were triple-vaccinated,” Poon added, claiming it is still of significance for citizens to raise the vaccination rate.
