Filenews 29 December 2021 - by Evangelia Sizopoulou
More likely to achieve higher IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 responsible for COVID-19 are older people (>60 years old), men and people who developed symptoms or were hospitalized with coronavirus, according to research coordinated by the Center of Excellence Biodelegeza and Biomedical Research biobank.cy of the University of Cyprus, with partners from the Medical School of the University of Cyprus, the Medical School of the University of Nicosia and the School of Sciences of the European University Cyprus. One of the objectives of the research is the evaluation of the presence of antibodies against COVID-19 in the population of Cyprus.
According to an announcement by the University of Cyprus, in the first phase, the research aimed at testing the presence of antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus responsible for COVID-19. Specifically, people who tested positive for coronavirus, health professionals from Nicosia General Hospital, Makarios Nicosia Hospital and Paphos General Hospital and people from the general population were invited to participate as volunteers in the research to give samples of biological material.
The results so far, which are being published as an original paper in the Journal of Clinical Medicine, concern 1,898 volunteers from Cyprus. As part of the study, genetic material of DNA, plasma, serum and urine of the volunteers is collected.
The antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 infection peaks in the first trimester and then sharply declines until the first half of the year and stabilizes and/or decreases after 6 months. Preliminary observations not included in this publication suggest that the levels of antibodies after vaccination with the first and second doses, rise much higher compared to those of people who have contracted the disease, while again the levels fall in a few months after the second dose.
As mentioned, this study was also revealing regarding the willingness and interest of the Cypriot citizen to learn how his body reacted to the COVID-19 infection. The research team stresses that vaccination is the best method of protection against COVID-19, both on a personal and family and wider social level.
