11/22/2021
Although the AstraZeneca vaccine developed in conjunction with Oxford University reduced symptomatic Covid-19 by around 80% within months of a single dose, its protection is also known to wane rapidly. Available research suggests that protection reduces to around 40% within six months, whereas the protection offered by the Pfizer vaccine drops to 60% over the same period.
This research is in part, what has prompted AstraZeneca to work on and trial a new vaccine. The hope is that the new antibody cocktail, called AZD7442, will not only provide longer protection but that it will be more effective in protecting those that have not responded well to the existing vaccines. People with low immunities and people receiving high levels of treatment such as cancer patients, have typically not responded well.