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CITF Spotlight on Research | Issue 48 | January 18, 2022

CITF Events

REGISTER NOW TO ATTEND!

With the arrival of Omicron and the looming threat of other emerging variants, the crucial question on everyone’s mind is: how long does immunity to SARS-CoV-2 last? The evidence will be essential to determining Canada’s booster strategy that aims to mitigate future waves of infection, prevent undue stress on the healthcare system, and keep the population safe.
 
Register to attend our next Research Results & Implications seminar, during which CITF experts will explain the reasons behind waning antibody levels, the importance of other features of the immune system, the effects of Omicron on immunity and vaccine effectiveness, the need for vaccine boosters, and the best dosing intervals to achieve maximum protection.
 
Our expert participants include Dr. Tim Evans, Executive Director of the CITF, Dr. Jeff Kwong of ICES, Public Health Ontario and the University of Toronto, Dr. Dawn Bowdish and Dr. Andrew Costa of McMaster University, and Dr. Victor Ferreira, on behalf of Dr. Deepali Kumar’s lab at the University Health Network, Toronto. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Nazeem Muhajarine from the University of Saskatchewan and member of CoVaRR-Net.

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CITF-Funded Research Results

Booster doses stimulate strong antibody responses, including in older adults

While two doses of COVID-19 vaccine can prevent serious illness in most cases, vaccine-induced immune responses decline naturally over time, which leads to an increased risk of breakthrough infections. A pre-print, not-yet peer-reviewed, from CITF-funded researchers Dr. Mark Brockman of Simon Fraser University, Dr. Zabrina Brumme of Simon Fraser University and the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, and Dr. Marc Romney, from Providence Health Care and the University of British Columbia, showed that a third (booster) dose of vaccine elevated both the levels of antibodies and their neutralizing capacity above that of two doses in all individuals, including older adults.

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CITF Modelling

Natural antibody wane reinforces importance of vaccination

In this month’s analysis, the CITF modelled the effect of waning antibodies, known as seroreversion, to account for the natural loss of antibodies that occurs through time. These calculations, based on the most recent research on time to antibody wane, found that as of November 30, 2021, an estimated 1 in 21 Canadians (4.7%) still had detectable antibodies due to a previous infection. The data were prior to widespread exposure to the Omicron variant. Notably, this estimate is lower than our previous month’s estimate of seroprevalence (7.8%), which did not incorporate seroreversion rates.

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CITF Announcement

Available Now: the January edition of the CITF Monthly Review

This month’s issue features: 

  • Expert commentary on how immunity to COVID-19 wanes over time, making booster vaccines essential;
  • The latest CITF modeling & Canadian Blood Services data on immunity across Canada;
  • SARS-CoV-2 in schools
  • Vaccine safety
  • More!
Read the complete magazine here

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The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Public Health Agency of Canada.

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