“When we are thinking about who should be prioritised for booster doses our data suggests that those vaccinated earliest, particularly with the AstraZeneca vaccine, are likely to now have the lowest antibody levels,” said Professor Rob Aldridge from UCL Institute of Health Informatics.

Dr Pradyumna Oak, Co-author of the study and Director and Head of Neurology, Nanavati Max Super Speciality Hospital said, “The study has proved an integral co-relation between COVID-19 and GBS, a rare neurological condition that forces the body’s immune system to attack the nervous system, causing potential paralysis. We have found that despite its rarity, COVID-19 appears to be one of the viral infections which causes GBS. Though the prognosis of GBS is extremely good in most patients, we suggest that all COVID-19 should be actively screened by a neurologist to detect early signs of GBS for timely care.”

“Residents should continue to remain cautious about disease spread because we are still unaware about the incidence rate of different variants and its co-relation with antibody response. Most importantly, the presence of antibodies does not guarantee 100 per cent protection against COVID infection. So as aptly communicated by ICMR, though the results are a ray of hope, there is no room for complacency,” emphasisedDr Rahul Tambe, Senior Consultant, Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease, Nanavati Max Super Speciality, .

The studies worldwide are showing that both the short and long dosing schedules lead to strong real-world protection against COVID-19, emphasising the importance of having a second dose of the vaccine.