Antibodies induced from a recent Covid-19 infection provide longer-term protection against the coronavirus than vaccination, a study in Israel has found.
Research by the Sheba Medical Centre in Ramat Gan, Israel, also found previously infected patients with obesity had a higher and more sustained immune response and protection than overweight and normal weight-range patients.
While protection against reinfection lasts for a long time in Sars-CoV-2 recovered patients, breakthrough infections are increasingly common six months after vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.
While the number of antibodies decrease with time in both Covid-19 recovered patients and vaccinated individuals, the quality of antibodies increases following infection but not after vaccination
Dr Carmit Cohen,
Sheba Medical Centre
The study’s authors analysed the antibody-induced immune response in people who had recovered from Covid-19 for up to a year.
Their outcomes were compared to those who had received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine without a previous infection over an eight-month period.
The study of 130 patients diagnosed with Covid-19 via a PCR test was conducted by Dr Carmit Cohen at the hospital’s specialist disease prevention unit.
“While the number of antibodies decrease with time in both Covid-19 recovered patients and vaccinated individuals, the quality of antibodies increases following infection but not after vaccination,” said Dr Cohen, a senior researcher at Sheba’s infectious diseases prevention unit.
“These results provide specific characteristics of the immune response that may explain the differential protection against Covid-19 in previously infected and vaccinated individuals.”
Researchers found that the numbers of antibodies a month after vaccination were higher than those who had recovered from Covid-19 but those numbers declined more steeply in the vaccinated group.
What also surprised scientists at the unit was that, against expectations, the antibodies of recovered obese patients were higher than in those either overweight or in a normal weight range.
Obesity was measured by body mass index, with those with a rating of 30 or higher considered obese.
The figures suggested people with obesity who had been previously infected were better protected against reinfection than those who were overweight or normal weight and had been previously infected.
“People with obesity have a significantly higher and sustained humoral [antibody induced] response following infection,” Dr Cohen said.
Medics in the UAE have reported a large percentage of those suffering from long Covid symptoms also had chronic health conditions, such as obesity, diabetes or hypertension.
Of all the recovered patients assessed in the Tel Aviv trial, 42 (36 per cent) experienced long Covid symptoms.
Those symptoms included mental health issues such as depression and anxiety (5 per cent), neurological disorders (9 per cent), cardiovascular conditions (5 per cent) and 31 per cent of patients had some form of respiratory manifestation, like a persistent cough or breathing difficulties.
The research has been peer reviewed and will be presented at the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases in Lisbon in April.
Long Covid symptoms: in pictures
Results
5pm: Al Maha Stables – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Reem Baynounah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Mohamed Daggash (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: AF Afham, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ghallieah, Sebastien Martino, Jean-Claude Pecout
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Yas Xmnsor, Saif Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi
7pm: The President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Adrie de Vries, Jean de Roualle
7.30pm: The President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Haqeeqy, Dane O’Neill, John Hyde.
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The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
HEADLINE HERE
- I would recommend writing out the text in the body
- And then copy into this box
- It can be as long as you link
- But I recommend you use the bullet point function (see red square)
- Or try to keep the word count down
- Be wary of other embeds lengthy fact boxes could crash into
- That's about it
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Film: Raid
Dir: Rajkumar Gupta
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Ileana D'cruz and Saurabh Shukla
Verdict: Three stars
Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
Common%20symptoms%20of%20MS
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Company%20Profile
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UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.