Cross-vaccination between Astrazeneca and Biontech has become necessary for many people. A surprising study result shows how effective this is.
Cross-vaccination between the vaccines from Astrazeneca and Biontech was not actually planned. However, because the former vaccine was stopped in the meantime, it became necessary for at least two million people. Now necessity could even become a virtue. At least that is what current studies suggest. The results of an investigation have even surprised the scientists themselves, as reported by echo24.de *.
The Standing Vaccination Commission (STIKO) only recommends corona vaccination with Astrazeneca to people over 60 years of age * because of the rare but potentially extremely dangerous side effects *. At first the opposite was the case. It changed as individual cases of cerebral vein thrombosis became known. That created a dilemma.
Corona cross vaccination: study on effectiveness surprises even researchers
Those who had already received a primary vaccination with Astrazeneca now needed an alternative. According to the Federal Ministry of Health, this is likely to have affected around two million people.
On April 1, the STIKO changed its recommendation for those affected in the direction of a so-called cross-vaccination. The first corona vaccination with the vector vaccine from the manufacturer Astrazeneca is followed by a second vaccination with an mRNA vaccine – for example from Biontech / Pfizer or Moderna.
Cross vaccination: efficacy not clarified at the beginning
At this point in time, there were no studies on the effectiveness or possible side effects of cross-vaccination *. Meanwhile, however, the first results show that the combination of the vaccines, which work differently in the body *, could definitely have an advantage.
Researchers at the Hannover Medical School had already found out that the number and quality of antibodies were higher after cross-vaccination than after double vaccination with Astrazeneca. However, the scientists had pointed out that this did not allow any statement to be made about the effectiveness of the vaccine combination.
Corona vaccinations with Astrazeneca and Biontech: study surprised
Current studies now apparently show that cross-vaccination has no disadvantage compared to double vaccination with one vaccine. This is the conclusion, for example, of the infectiologist Leif Erik Sander of the Charité Berlin after a preliminary evaluation of a study. A Spanish study also sees the effectiveness of a cross vaccination higher * than a double vaccination.
The results of a study by Saarland University that has not yet been scientifically published apparently go even further. The research team led by immunology professor Martina Sester at the university comes to a conclusion that is surprising even for them, as reported by the Saarland University Hospital and the Medical Faculty of the Saarland University (UKS).
Cross vaccination against Corona: study shows “significantly higher effectiveness”
“This is also the reason why we want to share this with the public now and have not waited first for the scientific review process,” explains Sester. The preliminary conclusion: A cross vaccination from Astrazenca and Biontech shows a “significantly higher effectiveness” than a double corona vaccination with the vaccine from Astrazeneca.
For the study, the researchers examined the immune response of 250 people in detail. Some of them had received a double Astrazeneca vaccination or a double vaccination from the manufacturers Biontech and Pfizer, the other subjects were given a combination of both vaccines – a so-called heterologous vaccination – nine to twelve weeks apart. A few people were also vaccinated with the Moderna vaccine or a combination of Astrazeneca and Moderna.
Corona vaccination: Astrazeneca and Biontech effective as a combination
The scientists not only examined how many antibodies they had formed against the coronavirus in the vaccinated people. “We also determined the strength of the so-called neutralizing antibodies. This tells us how well the antibodies keep the virus from entering the cells, ”explains Martina Sester, professor for transplant and infection immunology at Saarland University.
The cross vaccination was a positive surprise – not only in comparison with Astrazenca. “With the neutralizing antibodies, the combined vaccination strategy showed even slightly better results than a double Biontech vaccination,” explains Sester.
Cross vaccination: Scientists need to further evaluate study results
In addition to the antibodies, the scientists also examined what are known as T cells. They help the body to make antibodies in the first place. And here, too, the heterologous vaccination resulted in “even the strongest reaction” in comparison with the double vaccinations.
For the scientific publication of the study, the researchers will now evaluate their data under various aspects, such as gender and age and the question of which vaccine combination had the most side effects.
Cross-vaccination: Possibly even a recommendation soon?
Even now, the scientists can obviously imagine that the STIKO’s recommendations could change radically yet again. “We believe that if other research teams come to similar results, one should think hard about a combination of vector and mRNA vaccines.”
This would be particularly interesting for people with previous illnesses. According to Sester, these could be checked to see whether they “shouldn’t receive a combined version as the third vaccination at the latest, in order to generate the broadest possible immune response in the body.” * Echo24.de is an offer from IPPEN.MEDIA.
Headline list image: © To Simon Nagel / dpa
