By Amber Roman
11 Feb 2024, 09:00 AM EST
A new finding in the immune response to COVID-19 vaccines is surprising the scientific community. Researchers at Oregon Health and Science University have found that alternating arms when receiving multiple doses of the vaccine can increase a person’s immune response up to four times.
The study, recently published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, analyzed the antibody response in the blood of 947 people who received two doses of COVID-19 vaccines. These participants, which included university employees, were randomly assigned to receive the second dose in the same or opposite arm as the one in which they had received the first dose.
Historically, it was believed that the choice of arm for vaccination did not matter. However, this study reveals a strikingly different result. Those who received a “contralateral” boost, that is, an injection in each arm, showed a substantial increase in the magnitude and breadth of antibody response compared to those who did not.
The results were most evident approximately three weeks after the second booster and persisted beyond 13 months after the second booster. The researchers also observed increased immunity to both the original strain of SARS-CoV-2 and the omicron variant in those who alternated arms during vaccination.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Marcel Curlin, an associate professor of medicine at the OHSU School of Medicine, speculates about the reason behind this phenomenon. He suggests that giving an injection in each arm can activate new immune responses in different lymph nodes in each arm, leading to immunological memory in two places instead of just one.
This discovery raises questions about the way vaccines are administered and could have implications beyond COVID-19 vaccines. Curlin points out that this finding could reveal an important immune function that is not yet fully understood.
The study was conducted as part of a series of investigations related to the immune response after vaccination and COVID-19 infections at OHSU. Participants, which included employees willing to help since the start of the pandemic, provided blood samples for analysis.
Although this study provides valuable information about the immune response, the researchers note that more research is needed to fully understand this phenomenon and its impact on vaccine effectiveness.
Keep investigating
In the meantime, this finding highlights the importance of continuing to research and explore different approaches in vaccine delivery to maximize the effectiveness of immunization against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.
In addition to this discovery, it is crucial to address another public health concern that has been on the rise: substance abuse. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a worrying increase in drug and alcohol use has been seen in many communities.
Stress, social isolation, and economic hardship related to the pandemic have contributed to this problem. Many people turn to substance use as a way to cope with anxiety and uncertainty.
This increase in substance use poses additional challenges for public health systems and healthcare providers. Greater awareness and resources are needed to address this issue and provide support to those struggling with substance abuse.
As society continues to face the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is crucial to address both concerns related to the immune response to vaccines and the increase in substance abuse to ensure the health and well-being of all.
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