Terpos in SKAI: What applies to antibody tests – Do vaccines protect against Delta? |

The professor of Hematology of the Medical School of EKPA, Evangelos Terpos, who together with his team conducts, spoke to SKAI and the show “SK Parea” about the antibodies that the human body develops through the coronavirus vaccine, but also of the natural disease. relevant research since the beginning of the pandemic.
He first clarified that there are two classes of antibodies: those that target a coronavirus protein, which are usually those measured in laboratories, and the so-called neutralizing antibodies, which kill the virus and are the most important.

He stressed that all the tests performed in the diagnostic centers target the original strain, the Wuhan coronavirus and not the Delta mutation.
“If someone has in their blood neutralizing antibodies that neutralize the Wuhan virus by 100%, the corresponding rate for the Delta mutation is about 70%. This means that if I take a test from a diagnostic that says a value, which in fact is not about neutralizers, it can not tell you anything about what is happening with Delta. “There are no such studies and that is why there is no reason for a healthy citizen to do such an examination”, Mr. Terpos stated characteristically.

According to his research, vaccinated people have adequate neutralizing antibodies to the Wuhan virus nine months after the second dose at a rate of about 80%. However, for Delta mutant antibodies, the rate drops to about half, to 40%, stressing the need for a third dose.

“For example, I got the vaccine in January with all the health workers. The first dose did almost nothing for me, with the second dose I reached 93% neutralization rates of the virus, three months later it dropped to 65%. But we always talk about the Wuhan virus. At nine months it was at 40% which means that for Delta I had almost no protection. So as soon as the platform opened, I did the third installment and the percentage a week later rose to 95%. This means that with 95% neutralization of Wuhan, that I will have a very high neutralization of Delta, at 70% “, stressed the professor of Hematology.

As he said, with the two doses of the vaccine after the semester, half of them are also protected by Delta, but one cannot see it, because there is no test available for Delta.

As for Johnson & Johnson’s single dose, he clarified that because it provided less protection from the beginning anyway, the second installment should be done immediately, when the 4-month period is completed.

Mr. Terpos then referred to those who have passed the coronavirus and have received a dose of the vaccine, emphasizing that they have the greatest protection against both the virus and the Delta mutation. “Their neutralization against the Wuhan virus is similar in the Delta. This is because they already had a natural immunity, which catches more proteins of the virus and therefore has a better neutralization against Wuhan, but it has the same against Delta. We also give him a booster with the vaccine. “They 6 and 9 months later have complete eradication of both the Wuhan and Delta viruses and have the best protection,” he explained.

Regarding the vaccination of pregnant women, she noted that there is no problem to get the vaccine either before becoming pregnant or during pregnancy, at any time.