Many of us thought that, after being vaccinated, we would be immune to the coronavirus for good. However, not everything is perfect, and vaccines don’t work this way because they only help us fight the SARS-CoV 2. In other words, after the vaccination, our body will be ready to fight the disease, but we will catch it if we are not careful.
After new waves of multiple variants hit us hard, Israel has one of the world’s worst COVID-19 surges. This happens only five months after vaccinating almost all of its population, and the U.S. doesn’t want this to happen. As a result, many health officials are recommending a booster shot only eight months after the original vaccine as a solution to avoid any surges.
How long can the immunity last?
Many scientists and doctors explained that it depends on which type of immunity you are talking about. According to Ali Ellebedy, an immunologist at Washington University in St. Louis, your body trains its immune system. So, for example, six months after your vaccine, your body may be more ready to fight the virus.
“If you were vaccinated six months ago, your immune system has been training for six months. As a result, you are better ready to fight a COVID-19 infection”, says Ellebedy. In addition, news studies, including two led by Ellebedy, suggest that mRNA vaccines like Moderna and Pfizer help the immune system to develop a long-term defense. This protection will last several years or even longer if your body adapts better to the vaccine.
How does this works?
Let’s say that you are already on your second dose of the mRNA vaccines. Unfortunately, right after the first month of the vaccination, the antibodies on your system are relatively weak. They aren’t as durable, and they won’t defend you perfectly; however, they will help your own body train its antibodies.
After a little more time, your immune system establishes a training center for your own antibodies. This way, your immune system develops its own way to train the correct antibodies to fight COVID-19. Finally, six months after the second shot, the training center will go to the bone marrow. In other words, they will be forever with you, getting better and stronger.
