The vaccine wipes out the immune system. pic.twitter.com/O9hiUObWz3
— bristolblues (@BristolBlues32) August 29, 2021
Increased age & time since 2nd dose correlated with reduced virus neutralisation across all strains tested. Not a surprise, but given low starting titres vs B.1.617.2, more of a concern to see neutralisation “dropping off”, significantly. Boosters more likely to be needed 2/n pic.twitter.com/9SnfuvAXIr
— David LV Bauer (@DavidLVBauer) June 3, 2021
Again, the correlation between increased age and less neutralising ability that we saw with 2-dose recipients is also visible with single-dose recipients. Supports getting 2nd doses in ASAP, esp. in older / vulnerable populations. 4/n pic.twitter.com/UDlMzMnqXZ
— David LV Bauer (@DavidLVBauer) June 3, 2021
Building better models in future will also require standardisation across labs using the WHO Reference Standard & Reference Panels. (We contributed to its evaluation, so know @TheCrick high-throughput live virus neut assay stacks up pretty well, even at 2000 samples/wk) 6/n pic.twitter.com/rbenCHDsR0
— David LV Bauer (@DavidLVBauer) June 3, 2021
And critically down to the foresight of @CharlesSwanton @LabGandhi, Bryan Williams @UCLHresearch BRC to set up the SARS-CoV-2 Legacy Study so that researchers would have a cohort "ready to go"
— David LV Bauer (@DavidLVBauer) June 3, 2021
Our cohort here is close to a "best-case" picture for neutralising antibody titres: relatively young (40y), healthy, and recently-vaccinated. We need to be paying careful attention to other populations w/variants (ethnicity differences? older? immunocompromised?) 11/n
— David LV Bauer (@DavidLVBauer) June 3, 2021
Summary: vaccine rollout has been a huge success in the UK – slow and steady has almost won the race, B.1.617.2 (delta) variant makes it a bit more uphill as we near the finish line… Two doses as quickly as supply allows, monitor Ab levels, boost those who need. 13/end
— David LV Bauer (@DavidLVBauer) June 3, 2021
h/t Dan