Antibodies surge after two Covid jabs

PEOPLE of all ages are producing high numbers of antibodies after two doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech jab, scientists said yesterday.

The React 2 study – the first using real-world data from British recipients – found 87.9 per cent of over-80s tested positive for antibodies.

This rose to 95.5 per cent in those under 60 and 100 per cent in under-30s, the research by Imperial College London and Ipsos Mori found.

Results 21 days after a single dose were lower – 34.7 per cent in over-80s, 73.7 per cent in 60 to 64-year-olds and 94.7 per cent in the under 30s.

Lead author Professor Helen Ward said: “Our findings suggest that it is very important for people to take up the second dose when it is offered.” The research, which also looked at attitudes to the vaccines, used home finger-prick tests on 154,000 volunteers.

The results found that between January 26 and February 8, 13.9 per cent had antibodies either from infection or vaccination.

More than 17,000 of the participants had received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose. But scientists warned there was not enough data to say how much protection came with a positive antibody result – and it did not mean those people are immune.

React programme director Professor Paul Elliott said: “Although there is some fall-off in positivity with age, at all ages we get that very good response to two doses of the vaccine.” The team has also discovered people are very confident in the vaccine.

More than 90 per cent said they would be willing to have the jab – or had already received it.

Confidence was highest in whites (92.6 per cent) and lowest among black people (72.5 per cent).

The most common reasons given for caution were worries about side effects, wanting to wait and see how it worked and fears over its effect on long-term health. Fertility, allergies and underlying conditions were also factors.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “It is fantastic to see over 90 per cent of people would accept or had already accepted a vaccine. I urge anyone invited for a vaccine to book it.”