COVID-19 vaccine: Jayadeva to study need for booster dose

200 vaccinated people to be tested for robustness, longevity of antibodies

A study to assess the need for a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is set to begin at Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences in Bengaluru. Institute Director C.N. Manjaunath told The Hindu that the 200 healthcare workers at the institute, who had received their second dose in February, would be tested for the robustness and longevity of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in September first week. “In the wake of all the discussion around a booster dose, we want to study how long the vaccine mediated antibody response will last,” he said. This group, aged above 45 years (including 100 female health staff), will undergo the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay or ELISA test that measures antibodies in blood.