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Review
. 2023 Feb;12(2):367-387.
doi: 10.1007/s40121-022-00753-2. Epub 2023 Jan 9.

Durability of Vaccine-Induced and Natural Immunity Against COVID-19: A Narrative Review

Nick Pooley  1 , Salim S Abdool Karim  2 , Behazine Combadière  3 , Eng Eong Ooi  4   5 , Rebecca C Harris  6 , Clotilde El Guerche Seblain  7 , Masoumeh Kisomi  8 , Nabila Shaikh  9
Affiliations
Review

Durability of Vaccine-Induced and Natural Immunity Against COVID-19: A Narrative Review

Nick Pooley et al. Infect Dis Ther. 2023 Feb.

Abstract

Vaccines developed against SARS-CoV-2 have proven to be highly effective in preventing symptomatic infection. Similarly, prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to provide substantial protection against reinfection. However, it has become apparent that the protection provided to an individual after either vaccination or infection wanes over time. Waning protection is driven by both waning immunity over time since vaccination or initial infection, and the evolution of new variants of SARS-CoV-2. Both antibody and T/B-cells levels have been investigated as potential correlates of protection post-vaccination or post-infection. The activity of antibodies and T/B-cells provide some potential insight into the underlying causes of waning protection. This review seeks to summarise what is currently known about the waning of protection provided by both vaccination and/or prior infection, as well as the current information on the respective antibody and T/B-cell responses.

Keywords: Antibody levels; Breakthrough infection; Cellular immunity; Reinfection; SARS-CoV-2; Waning immunity.

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