BENGALURU: No need for a second anti-Covid booster dose (4th dose), says a study conducted by Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Science and Research (SJICSR). Amid a surge in Covid cases abroad, concerns were raised on the need for the second booster dose by healthcare workers and the public. SJICSR’s study, conducted in January, showed that antibody levels have persisted even one year after taking the booster dose. In all, 99.4 per cent of healthcare workers who received the booster dose showed a significant presence of neutralising antibodies.
SJICR took up the study to assess the immune status of 350 healthcare workers (aged 19-60 years) that included doctors, nurses, technicians, ward helpers and other staff of Jayadeva. There were 148 males and 202 females and all of them took the Covishield vaccine in January 2022 and gave samples for testing. “All of them showed a good presence of neutralising antibodies by ELISA Method (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay).
It is good to see that the antibody levels are persistent even after one year of the booster dose,” said SJICSR Director Dr CN Manjunath. The study emphasised that those who have not taken the booster dose should take it immediately and it supported the fact that there is no need for a 4th dose of vaccine, he added.