New Finnish research: Biontech-Pfizer´s Covid-19 vaccine is effective also against Coronavirus Variants

Finnish researchers from the University of Turku and University of Helsinki together with Turku University Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, and the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare studied the immune response in 180 health care workers, each of whom received two doses of the Biontech-Pfizer´s mRNA vaccine. 

Fully vaccinated subjects were found to have an excellent antibody level against the original virus and the alpha variant (UK variant) of the virus. Although the immune response against the beta variant (South-African variant) was weaker, the vaccinated subjects did have neutralising antibodies that give relatively good protection against the variant. The study also showed that two doses of the covid-19 vaccine created a better immune response than a coronavirus infection with mild symptoms.

The study continues with longitudinal follow-up of immune response and protection against other variants, such as the delta variant (Indian variant). In addition, the research focuses on the analysis of the efficacy of other available coronavirus vaccines.

COVID-19 mRNA vaccine induced antibody responses against three SARS-CoV-2 variants

Original press release from the University of Turku

More infromation:

Ilkka Julkunen
Professor
University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Institute of Biomedicine
tel. +358 504499721
[email protected]

Anu Kantele
Professor
University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Meilahti Vaccine Research Center (MeVac)
tel. +358503097640
[email protected]