Study: Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine develops antibodies in 93% recipients after 2nd dose

A study has found that antibodies developed in 93% of people within two weeks of receiving two doses of the Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine.

A press release issued on Sunday said the study was carried out by a team of researchers at the Department of Microbiology of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) in order to determine the antibody response after administration of the vaccine.

Some 308 samples were collected from doctors and employees of DMCH to conduct the health directorate-funded study, which was conducted over five months and supervised by Prof Dr SM Shamsuzzaman, the release said.

It also said that 41% of recipients showed the presence of antibodies after four weeks of taking the first dose of the vaccine, named Covidshield.

However, after two weeks of taking the second jab, antibodies were found in 93% of the recipients, Dr Shamsuzzaman told a press briefing on Sunday morning.

Dhaka Medical College Principal Prof Dr Md Titu Miah also said that further studies will determine whether booster doses are required or not. Different studies show the antibodies may exist for anytime between one to six years.

Bangladesh started the nationwide Covid-19 vaccination program on February 7, following a pilot initiative, by administering Covishield, manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII).

So far, the country has received seven million Covishield doses through its contract with SII, while India gave Bangladesh 3.3 million Covidshield doses as a gift.

On April 25, however, the government suspended administering the first dose of Covishield a day after India decided to stop exporting the vaccine in order to meet its own demand following a record-breaking surge in Covid-19 deaths and cases.