A recent study from the University of Maryland School of Medicine suggests that those who have had COVID-19 may only need one dose of the vaccine, which could alleviate shortages reported across the U.S.
Researchers studied the antibody responses to a single dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines in health care workers who have had confirmed COVID-19 infections and compared them to the antibody responses of health care workers who have tested negative for the coronavirus.
They found that those who have had COVID-19 had a “classic secondary response” to just one shot of the vaccine. Their antibodies started peaking at seven days, and they also achieved higher amounts of antibodies and neutralization of the virus in 14 days compared to those who have tested negative.
The implications of the study could provide a way to get more people vaccinated.
“We think that in times of vaccine shortage, our findings preliminarily suggest the following strategy as more evidence-based: a) a single dose of vaccine for patients already having had laboratory-confirmed COVID-19; and b) patients who have had laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 can be placed lower on the vaccination priority list,” the study said.
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