‘Covishield effective against Omicron after two shots of same or other vaccines’

The results were observed among people previously vaccinated with either the AstraZeneca jab or an mRNA. A separate Phase IV trial reported in a preprint with the journal Lancet showed that a third dose of the vaccine substantially increased antibody levels in people previously jabbed with CoronaVac, an inactivated vaccine made by the Chinese Sinovac Biotech pharma.

The British-Swedish pharmaceuticals major said these data added to the growing body of evidence supporting the efficacy of its vaccine as a third dose booster irrespective of the primary vaccination schedules tested. “These data show that Vaxzevria has an important role to play as a third dose booster, including when used after other vaccines. Given the ongoing urgency of the pandemic and Vaxzevria’s increased immune response to the Omicron variant, we will continue to progress regulatory submissions around the world for its use as a third dose booster,” said Sir Mene Pangalos, executive vice-president of BioPharmaceuticals R&D at AstraZeneca.

Professor Sir Andrew J Pollard, director of the University of Oxford’s Oxford Vaccine Group which developed the vaccine, said the jab was suitable as an option for countries considering booster programmes. “These important studies show that a third dose of Vaxzevria after two initial doses of the same vaccine, or after mRNA or inactivated vaccines, strongly boosts immunity against Covid-19.