AstraZeneca Vaccine Followed by Pfizer Dose 'Highly' Safe & Effective: COVID-19 Study
According to a Spanish study that involved mixing COVID-19 vaccines, giving a dose of Pfizer vaccine to people after they have received their first shot of AstraZeneca vaccine is highly safe and effective.
The study found that the presence of IgG antibodies in the bloodstream was between 30 and 40 times higher in individuals who got the follow-up Pfizer shot as compared to those in a control group who only received one dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine.
Meanwhile, the presence of neutralising antibodies rose significantly after the dose of Pfizer vaccine, much higher than the doubling effect noticed after the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine.
It must be noted that around 670 people belonging to the age group of 18 to 59 years who had already been administered the first dose of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine took part in the study. The Pfizer dose was given to around 450 people. As per one of the study leaders, only 1.7% of the participants reported headaches, muscle pain and general malaise, which were not considered serious.
According to the first findings of a "mix-and-match" study conducted in the UK, people vaccinated with a dose of Pfizer's vaccine followed by a shot of AstraZeneca's vaccine, or vice versa, were more likely to report headaches or chills as compared to if they received two COVID-19 vaccine doses of the same type.
Spain conducted studies to determine how to proceed with COVID-19 vaccination after limiting AstraZeneca's dose to people aged over 60 years due to blood clot concerns in young people.
It must be noted that the Serum Institute of India is producing the Indian variant of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, Covishield.
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Disclaimer: This article is issued in the general public interest and meant for general information purposes only. Readers are advised not to rely on the contents of the article as conclusive in nature and should research further or consult an expert in this regard.
