Covid booster shots can reduce viral loads, study reveals

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AFP
AFP

Dubai - Even if people get infection, the transmission will be minimal, doctor says.

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Saman Haziq

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Published: Fri 22 Oct 2021, 8:47 PM

Covid booster shots can significantly reduce viral loads, a recent study in Israel revealed after analysing samples from 11,000 people infected with the Covid Delta variant.

Elaborating on the study, Dr Satyam Parmar, head of pathology department at RAK Hospital, said: “Data shows that viral load in vaccinated people is much lower compared to the unvaccinated, which means even if they get the infection, the transmission will be minimal. A booster dose further helps in lessening the load.”


Talking about the need for a booster dose, Dr Parmar said: “There are three key reasons which demand a booster dose. The first, if you didn’t respond adequately to the first two doses, second if you come under the category of immuno-compromised, and also when, over time, the immunity achieved as a result of the vaccine wanes off. We now know that the protection attained through vaccination starts to weaken with time. Depending on the type of vaccine, it can last anywhere from 7-12 months.”

“So far the evidence does show that the vaccines are the only way we can defeat this virus, they protect us against severe disease outcomes, hospitalisation and even death. Through our webinars, we have been helping the community not just nationally but internationally on various issues concerning the pandemic,” said Dr Raza Siddiqui, executive director, RAK Hospital, and founding member of Arise, UAE, the Private Sector Alliance for Disaster Resilient Societies, a network of private sector entities led by the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR).


As the country’s vaccination programme scales new highs, there are still some doubts regarding the role of antibodies and booster shots.

To guide the community and provide appropriate knowledge about antibody and booster vaccines, RAK Hospital, as part of its Covid-19 rehabilitation programme that was launched earlier this year, is organizing a free webinar on ‘The Role of Antibody and Booster Vaccine’.

The interactive session aims to support society and answer questions concerning the subject via its expert panel. The virtual event will be held on Saturday, October 23, 2021 from 11am to 12 noon GST. To register for the webinar, interested people can log onto www.rakhospitalrehab.com

“Due to numerous theories about the booster vaccine, people often get confused as to what and whether they should opt for a booster dose. ‘Who needs them?’ ‘What is the safety and effectiveness?’ ‘How often is it required?’. All these and many more questions will be answered through the event,” said Dr Hafiz Ahmad, Head of Covid lab at RAK Hospital, Asst. Professor and Clinical Microbiologist at RAK Medical and Health Sciences University and a speaker at the forthcoming session.

Dr Hafiz further suggests testing anti-SARS COV-2 spike antibodies (Anti-S1 IgG) along with neutralising antibodies to monitor vaccine-efficacy after booster shots, especially in the elderly and immuno-compromised population to understand functional antibodies that provide immune protection.

RAK Hospital in association with ARISE UAE, has been conducting a series of webinars every month on post-Covid maladies, remedies and other related information.


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