One vaccine shot may be enough if you’ve had Covid: Study

Last updated on February 8th, 2021 at 10:29 am

Recent research has found that the person with past COVID infection may only need one shot of the vaccine. The research was published on medRXiv, this research with a small sample size found that the antibodies developed against the past infection serve as the first dose of vaccine.

For COVID-19 everyone will have to go through two shots of vaccination, the first one is said the prime dose, and the second one the booster dose. Scientists were curious that the individual who already had Covid infection does need a full course of two shots, or one shot would be sufficient?

Let’s find out what research has to say.

Covid vaccine & your antibodies

A vaccine is actually a substance/medicine which is administered into our body so that it stimulates the production of antibodies inside our body. As we all know antibodies fight against the virus and prevent us virus to make us ill. A vaccine for a specific virus promotes antibody production to fight against that specific virus/disease.

However, antibodies also develop in our body in a natural way when we get infected by any disease/virus, the infection stimulates the natural process of antibody production against that specific virus. This body defense mechanism against disease is what actually termed the immune system of our body. There are various natural ways to boost our immune system, you may even take immune support available in the market.

When we say that one has a strong immune system it simply means that once body has developed sufficient antibodies to counter the adverse effect of the virus viral infection. Having said this if any person had a past infection of covid-19 it means they have already developed antibodies against it. 

Now, scientists were looking for an answer that an individual who already had covid-19 infection needs the full course of two shots, or will one be enough?

What research says, is one shot enough?

Scientist at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York suggests that people with Past infection are already primed, i.e they are equivalent to have received the first shot of vaccine. The research was published in medRXiv and was conducted with very small sample size. Though it is not peer-reviewed, it’s important research to consider about.

“In this short report, we show that the antibody response to the first vaccine dose in individuals with pre-existing immunity is equal to or even exceeds the titers found in naïve individuals after the second dose”, reported in the research.

Research further states that “We also show that the reactogenicity is significantly higher in individuals who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the past. Changing the policy to give these individuals only one dose of vaccine would not negatively impact on their antibody titers, spare them from unnecessary pain and free up many urgently needed vaccine doses”.

Keep Reading: Importance of Face Masks During Flu Season

Journal Reference:

Robust spike antibody responses and increased reactogenicity in seropositive individuals after a single dose of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccineFlorian Krammer, Komal Srivastava, the PARIS team, Viviana SimonmedRxiv 2021.01.29.21250653; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.29.21250653