Hypothesis: Possible influence of antivector immunity and SARS-CoV-2 variants on efficacy of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine

Loris Zamai, Marco B L Rocchi, Loris Zamai, Marco B L Rocchi

Abstract

The present work provides arguments for the involvement of anti-vector immunity and of SARS-CoV-2 variants on the efficacy of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine. First, it is suggested that anti-vector immunity takes place as homologous vaccination with ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine is applied and interferes with vaccine efficacy when the interval between prime and booster doses is less than 3 months. Second, longitudinal studies suggest that ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine provides suboptimal efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant, which appears to have an increased transmissibility among vaccinated people. At the moment, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine is able to reduce the severity of symptoms and transmissibility. However, if the vaccinated individuals do not maintain physical preventive measures, they could turn into potential spreaders, thus suggesting that mass vaccination will not quickly solve the pandemic. Possible consequences of SARS-CoV-2 evolution and of repeated anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations are discussed and adoption of an influenza-like vaccination strategy is suggested.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2 variants; environmental conditions; immunity; influenza virus; physical prevention; vaccine; viral vectors.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

© 2021 The Authors. British Journal of Pharmacology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Pharmacological Society.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Relative risk of symptomatic infection and 95% CI in different groups of vaccine participants with different dose interval analysed in two different time periods (September/October vs. November/7 December 2020). SD/SD = two standard‐dose vaccine groups with shorter dose interval assessed in Brazil (median 36 days of dose interval) or United Kingdom (69 days of dose interval) during September/October (4 November cut‐off date). LD/SD = low‐dose prime plus standard‐dose boost groups with longer (median 84 days) dose interval assessed before (September/October) and after (November/7 December) 4 November. S‐D = single standard‐dose vaccine assessed between 22 and 90 days (22‐90d, corresponding to the period between September and October) or between 91 and 120 days (91‐120d, including the period between November and 7 December) after injection

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