Mixing COVID vaccines - good response
Using different brands of COVID vaccines for first and second doses appears to give good protection against the pandemic virus, a UK study has found, BBC reports.
All combinations worked well, priming the immune system.
The Com-Cov study organized giving the doses four weeks apart in 850 volunteers aged 50 and above. Results:
- AZ followed by Pfizer induced higher antibodies and T cell responses than Pfizer followed by AZ
- Both of these mixes induced higher antibodies than two doses of AZ
- The highest antibody response was seen after two doses of Pfizer, and the highest T cell response from AZ followed by Pfizer
The trial results also hint that people who have already received two doses of AstraZeneca vaccine could have a stronger immune response if they were given a different jab as a booster if recommended in the autumn.