LONDON: Immune response following a covid-10 infection can vary between individuals and may not be enough to fight Alpha, and Beta variant of Covid-19, finds a study reinforcing the need for vaccination. The preprint study was led by the University of Oxford, in collaboration with the Universities of Liverpool, Sheffield, Newcastle and Birmingham.

The study discovered that people who produced a weak immune response signature, obtained at one and six months post infection, failed to show any neutralising antibodies against the Alpha variant, with none mounting a neutralising antibody response against the Beta variant.

"Our study is one of the most comprehensive accounts of the immune response following Covid-19 in both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals. It is very important that we all get the Covid vaccine when offered even if you think you may have previously had Covid-19," said Christina Dold, from the University of Oxford."We found that individuals showed very different immune responses from each other following Covid-19, with some people from both the symptomatic and asymptomatic groups showing no evidence of immune memory six months after infection or even sooner," Dold added.

The study examined how the immune system responds to Covid-19 in 78 healthcare workers who had experienced either symptomatic or asymptomatic disease. An additional eight patients who experienced severe disease were included for comparison.

Blood samples were taken monthly from 1-6 months post infection to examine different elements of the immune response. The report details a highly complex and variable immune response following Covid-19 infection.

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