Vaccine News and Research

Latest Vaccine News and Research

Microscopy-based high content platform for SARS-CoV-2 serological screening

A new study published on the medRxiv* preprint server used automated high content immunofluorescence microscopy (AHCIM) to assess the viability of such an approach to detect humoral immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 proteins.

20 Oct 2021

Collaborations and co-achievements of network of COST Actions on COVID-19

Addressing societal issues by enabling cross-disciplinary partnerships is an inherent part of a COST Actions' nature. But collaborations don't stop at the gate of these specific networks: multiple COST Actions have joined forces since the beginning of the pandemic to help advance research into COVID-19.

20 Oct 2021

Regular testing of SARS-CoV-2 positive vaccinated HCWs may reduce need for long quarantines

A new study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine conducted systematic surveillance involving 2,397 HCWs who were fully vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162 vaccine at the ASST Settelaghi hospitals, Italy, in February 2021.

19 Oct 2021

COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infections among immunocompromised individuals

A study of breakthrough infections in immunocompromised people following two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 concluded that immunocompromised people would be best served with a third dose of the vaccine for better protection.

19 Oct 2021

Phase 2 trial shows COVID-19 recombinant protein vaccine elicits promising immunogenicity responses

Researchers performed a large-scale, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase two trial to assess the efficacy, safety, and immune response elicited from vaccination with MVC-COV1901.

19 Oct 2021

Professor Liston’s latest book helps young children to learn about vaccines

The Professor Adrian Liston, Senior Group Leader at the Babraham Institute, and artist Dr Sonia Agüera-Gonzalez have published a captivating story book to teach children about the immune system and why vaccinations are important.

19 Oct 2021

Waning COVID vaccine efficacy especially against reinfection

A new study in American veterans posted to the medRxiv* preprint server suggests severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines are less effective in preventing infection after six months. The decline was most significant with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, with vaccine effectiveness plummeting from 88% to 3%.

19 Oct 2021

SARS-CoV-2 antibodies detected in breast milk of vaccinated mothers

Now, a new medRxiv* preprint study finds mothers vaccinated either one of the messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines transferred neutralizing antibodies and cytokines, including interferon-gamma (IFNγ), to a breastfeeding child. Additionally, the humoral response in breastmilk was effective in neutralizing four variants of concern.

18 Oct 2021

COVID-19 protocols may remain important even for college campuses with 100% vaccine rates

Most universities are encouraging vaccination, and many have mandated vaccination for all students. Given the availability of effective vaccines, there is a growing need to reevaluate the importance of university COVID-19 protocols.

18 Oct 2021

Study shows effectiveness of mix-and-match COVID-19 vaccines

People who had received a first dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and received an mRNA vaccine for their second dose had a lower risk of infection compared to people who had received both doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine.

18 Oct 2021

Immune system activation is modulated according to the time of day

Circadian clocks, which regulate most of the physiological processes of living beings over a rhythm of about 24 hours, are one of the most fundamental biological mechanisms.

18 Oct 2021

Modelling suggests fall in acute admissions with mass COVID-19 vaccinations

A new study explores the utility of modeling the impact of mass vaccination on the number of hospital beds occupied by acute COVID-19 cases.

18 Oct 2021

Factors contributing to a weak antibody response to the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine

A new study discusses risk factors for the failure of seroconversion following full vaccination with the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine.

18 Oct 2021

Study shows enhanced immunogenicity of heterologous boosting strategy in individuals primed with J&J vaccine

Researchers from Singapore conducted a study to assess the spike protein-specific humoral and cellular immunity in Ad26.COV2.S vaccinated individuals either primed with Ad26.COV2.S only, or boosted with a homologous or heterologous second dose.

18 Oct 2021

What will it take to boost vaccinations? The scene from Kentucky’s back roads

In the end it was the delta variant that drove Rose Mitchell, 89, down the winding mountain road to the Full Gospel Church of Jesus Christ to get the shot. Her pastor, Billy Joe Lewis, had told his congregation that, No, ma'am, a covid vaccine would not leave the "mark of the beast" nor rewrite their genetic codes.

18 Oct 2021

How can framing COVID-19 vaccine side-effects affect an individual's willingness to be vaccinated?

Researchers from the University of Munich have investigated how framing vaccine side-effects can affect an individual's willingness to be vaccinated.

18 Oct 2021

Study finds vaccination confers protection against SARS-CoV-2 onward transmission

The research group reports on the waning effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccines against transmission to household contacts in the face of these relaxed measures and more transmissible strains of SARS-CoV-2.

18 Oct 2021

Surveillance, prevention of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza in Europe

In the northern hemisphere, annual seasonal influenza activity usually causes a high burden of disease during the winter months.

18 Oct 2021

Coronavirus vaccines and prior infections can provide broad immunity against similar viruses

Northwestern Medicine scientists have shown for the first time that coronavirus vaccines and prior coronavirus infections can provide broad immunity against other, similar coronaviruses. The findings build a rationale for universal coronavirus vaccines that could prove useful in the face of future epidemics.

18 Oct 2021

Research indicates that mRNA vaccine-induced T cells respond robustly to new SARS-CoV-2 variants

To address the gaps in the knowledge, a team of researchers from the University of California and the Gladstone Institute of Virology conducted 39-parameter phenotyping by cytometry by time of flight (CyTOF) on 33 longitudinal specimens from 11 mRNA-vaccinated individuals, of which six had previously been infected and recovered from COVID-19.

18 Oct 2021