A fourth COVID jab pushes antibody levels even higher than those seen after the third, a new study suggests.
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.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Some 166 people took part in the study and offered blood samples, which meant 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.
And there were significant boosts compared with the levels seen on the day they were given their fourth booster – participants had 12 to 16 times higher levels of antibodies in the blood a fortnight after they got their fourth shot, compared with the day it was delivered.
