Fourth Covid-19 jabs give people protection “over and above” that afforded to people who have had three jabs, a new study suggests.
Research is continuing to assess the levels of protection people have after vaccination, and for the length of time that this protection lasts.
The CovBoost trial also examined side-effects after a fourth jab.
Jacob King
A team of academics led by the University of Southampton have been tracking a group of people and their levels of antibodies and T cells, both measures which indicate a person’s level of protection against a virus.
The CovBoost trial also examined side-effects after a fourth jab.
Some 166 people took part in the study and offered blood samples, which means that scientists could examine the concentration of antibodies in the blood.
These were examined at various time points, including 28 days after the third jab was given; again just before their fourth boost was administered – which took place, on average, just over 200 days later; and then 14 days after they had their fourth jab.
The levels of antibodies waned in the period between third jabs and fourth boosters.
But a fortnight after the booster jab antibody levels rose even higher than the levels seen after the third jab.