ToplineAccording to Monday's study, both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines will likely offer long-lasting protection against Covid-19.Long-term protection against Covid-19 may be provided by the Moderna and Pfizer vaccinations. AFP via Getty ImagesThe Key FactsScientists found that vaccines may have a strong immune response that protects against Covid-19 over time, according to a peer-reviewed paper published in Nature. This study confirms an earlier finding that those who have recovered from infection and were fully inoculated using one of the mRNA vaccinations, have a stronger immune response. The vaccines were also effective against three coronavirus variants, including the Beta variant which has been shown to decrease vaccine effectiveness. Nearly four years after receiving the first dose of either vaccine, there were still germinal centers within the lymph nodes that effectively trained the immune cells to guard against future infection. The New York Times reported that scientists who carried out the study found this to be a positive sign. Normally germinal centers peak around two weeks after vaccination, and then start to decline. A wider range of immune cells, as well as longer training times for them, will result in stronger protection against the virus and any variants.What we don't knowThe study only examined the two approved mRNA vaccinations made by Moderna or Pfizer BioNTech. The study did not include the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. One of the study's authors stated to the New York Times that he expected a less durable immune response. The effectiveness of the vaccine against Delta variants of coronavirus, which are more transmissible than the other variants, is not addressed in the study.Important BackgroundAlthough the mRNA vaccines have proven to be highly effective in protecting against infections, there has been speculation that booster doses might be required to protect against Covid-19. Moderna CEO Stphane Bangle suggested at a Forbes event that booster shots may be necessary in the near future to boost waning immunity as well as protect against new viruses mutations. This notion has been resisted by public health officials including Dr. Anthony Fauci. This study shows that the vast majority of people who have had one of the two mRNA vaccinations will be protected for the long-term and won't need to get a booster shot. The effectiveness of the mRNA vaccines may be compromised by the development of more dangerous variants. A large number of vaccine recipients have received viral vector-based vaccines, which might offer less lasting immunity.Continue readingStudy by the New York Times suggests that mRNA vaccines may offer lasting protectionScientists find that immunity to the Coronavirus may last for years (New York Times).
