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A report in the New England Journal of Medicine was published this week advising that the Moderna vaccine, much like its counterpart from Pfizer, will remain effective against COVID-19 for at least six months once both doses are administered.
The latest report comes after dozens of tests of those who received the shot during the study.
With this research, using three separate tests that look for antibodies, the scientists found that protective antibody activity remained high in all age groups of the 33 adults involved in this early-stage study.
Antibody levels are expected to decline over time, but it’s unclear what level of protection this will provide in the real world.
Last week, the FDA announced that it had approved Moderna to put 50 percent more vaccine dosages in each vial, allowing for more needles to be put in arms more expeditiously.
Pfizer and Moderna have said they are working to update their vaccines, or possibly design a booster shot, in case they’re needed against variants.
According to the newly published report, some patients remained protective through at least eight months after symptoms are shown, while Moderna is actively studying immune responses that persist beyond six months.
“Ongoing studies are monitoring immune responses beyond six months as well as determining the effect of a booster dose to extend the duration and breadth of activity against emerging viral variants,” researchers wrote. “Our data show antibody persistence and thus support the use of this vaccine in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.”
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