Antibody Levels After Vaccination

If you received the COVID-19 vaccine earlier this year, you are probably wondering if your level of protection is still sufficient. Recently, data was released that looks at antibody levels from all three of the vaccines over a period of time. In this video, we will look at this data, compare it, and find out what it means and what it does not mean for those who received the vaccine.
Source for data - visit FDA page for VRBP Advisory Committee Meeting (Oct 15, 2021)
www.fda.gov/advisory-committe...
👉Subscribe to the Let's Talk Risk! newsletter naveenagarwalphd.substack.com/
👉Connect on LinkedIn / naveenagarwal

[@indnjake]

i am 76, with diabetes and ESRD, non dialysis just got :abCorp test and antibody level is 7,283 , 2 moderna and 2 moderna boosters last 6 weeks ago,

[@cuttingedgecool7235]

Mr. Agarwal, thank you very much for reviewing and explaining this important information.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Thank you so much and you are very welcome!

[@samsousayt]

It's great to see unbiased, factual and precise information being shared by a competent and informed doctor. Thank you as well for the clarity in how you explain everything. Wising you the best and that more and more people come to your channel to get the proper scientifically backed information.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Thank you! I appreciate your feedback.

[@Seanwenwu540]

Excellent video, thank you.

[@ivygarcia8598]

How about antibodies generated by natural infection? You did not include that and it would be extremely interesting to see the comparison.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - yes this is a good question. I have not seen any data yet, but following this very closely.

[@aureliayalbertoderojas7761]

Thank you,very informative.

[@antoniettac3638]

Very good video

[@mand1009]

Great information, however sad that the Inactivated vaccine is not included. Thank you for the efforts taken, God bless you, stay healthy.

[@shirazcute]

Very nice video ... good job

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Thanks a lot

[@davidculp9819]

Thank you for doing this comparison. Can you please build in a 3rd arm of this study for each test... this arm should be patients that had COVID infection and were not vaccinated so we can see how long their natural antibodies rate compared to the vaccinated? And actually it would even more helpful to know what the data says for a patient group that was vaccinated, then had a COVID infection, to see what their antibody count is at 3, 6, 8, and 12 months following their infection. Thanks and keep up the great work!

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Yes, great suggestion. I have my eye on this type of data when it comes out in a credible journal. This is an important question.

[@mariawiegelova8396]

I am very happy that I came across your explanations. I am a woman,72 years old, from Slovakia,PhD, healthy,here and there problms with hypertention.In April took first Pfizer vaccine, in May the second.After 3 weeks measured IgG was 318. In September again measured my antibody level ,was only 87. Vitamin D 27,although I come into the park almost every day.Please,write to me,if I should take the third shot of Pfizer at the end of November???.The pandemic in my country is rapidly worsening.After the third vaccination,can afterwards my son with his family and 2 small children visit me for Christmas?ß ? They are not vaccinated,because there is a strong negative approach to vaccination.Thank you very much. Maria

[@amarendernagula4952]

Thank you for a great presentation. I have one question: can we interpret the J&J vaccines results be correlated to other adenovirus like from AstraZeneca ?

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - I am not sure if we can correlate the performance of these two vaccines, especially because J&J is a single dose vaccine and AZ is a 2-dose vaccine in the primary vaccination. I have not looked at the clinical data and real world data for the AZ vaccine.

[@Noor-ty1xt]

What is this mean of we have higher rbd and s1 levels in person

[@BiologyExplainedBangla]

very informative video. however i have a question, in the live virus test the nAb levels are increasing in case of J&J but in the similar pseudovirus test it shows it is decreasing with time. could you please explain why is it do?

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - thank you for the question and good observation. Keep in mind that both data sets show a lot of variability. The "average" number is heavily affected by distribution of the data either at the high end or at the lower end. Also, these are two different tests, so we can't really compare the numbers directly. I think the overall conclusion should be viewed in terms of a relative comparison with the mRNA vaccines. Does this help?

[@BiologyExplainedBangla]

@@NaveenAgarwalPhD thanks!!! I thought they were doing different study with same data set.

[@Killinthekkk]

Hello I am just wondering do you think there will be negative side effects to someone who were to take say 5 vaccines instead of the usual 2 as I have heard of people doing this where im from

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - I am not aware of anyone taking more than what is authorized. But then, my knowledge of the practices outside the USA is limited. Where is this happening? Are there any local guidelines from health authorities?

[@LoriMama]

I had COVID in Nov 2020 and got two doses of the Pfizer vaccine in February 2021. I tested positive for IGg antibodies yesterday. Do you think those are from my natural infection, the vaccine or did I have the virus more recently and not know it?

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - this is a great question. Let us break this down - if you had COVID in Nov 2020; you recovered and your system produced IgM and IgG antibodies. IgM will go down more rapidly than IgG. Typically, IgG will begin to fall off within 5-6 months. If you got two doses of Pfizer in Feb 2021, this is like getting a "boost" after your recovery from the prior infection. So the IgM and IgG will again go up in response to the vaccines. Then they will also fall off after about 5 months. Did you take a booster shot recently? If so, your recent positive result is consistent with this timeline. Also note that IgG will fall off but still be present in small amounts. If you got infected and did not have symptoms, it is very likely that the vaccine induced immunity helped you. In that case also, your system would be stimulated to produce more IgG. In the end, the most important thing is that your immune system is now primed to fight off COVID.

[@LoriMama]

@@NaveenAgarwalPhD I have not gotten a booster yet. This is one of the reasons why I wanted to test my antibodies - to see if I needed a booster or not. I was exposed to Covid on Christmas and got what felt like a cold a few days later. Myself, my son and my daughter all had very mild symptoms, so we tested ourselves and all were negative (it was an at home test so not sure of the reliability). So, am I to assume that I did have covid in December and if that is the case, will the booster even help with Omicron? I am going to Jamaica at the end of February and want to protect myself as much as possible - since I will have to test negative both going into Jamaica and coming home. Thoughts on this?

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

@@LoriMama Hi - antibody level is only one consideration for your decision making. Your level of exposure, medical condition and risk tolerance is important. Also note that not all of IgG are effective neutralizing antibodies. Most of the commercial tests do not give you the number of neutralizing antibodies, which is what matters. In the end, it is a personal risk-based decision. Consider taking your doctor's advice in light of your upcoming travel.

[@LoriMama]

@@NaveenAgarwalPhD Will do! Thank you for your response and advice! I really appreciate it. One more question, given my antibody test results - do you think I did have covid this past December? Thanks again!

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

@@LoriMama It is very hard to say, and I prefer not to speculate. Yes we have heard of people getting infected and not have any symptoms, but I am not really very close to this type of information.

[@manlibebeatricewognindavid1489]

Good morning Doctor please sir my IgG is 18.40 and I am trying to be pregnancy please sir did he have any side infection. Please reply ASAP 🙏

[@taritroy1487]

9 months after taking two doses of Covishield I undergone a tested for antibody., results are IgG test value 43.8 U/ml and IgM value 0.78 CI. Should I take buster dose now?

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - Yes, I would advise you to consider taking the booster unless you have a specific medical reason to not do so, or you had a severe side effect to the primary vaccination. But the final decision should be taken after consulting with your doctor.

[@jolanhowes3604]

Don't higher antibodies help to keep you from contracting the virus? I wonder how high they need to be, if this is the case. I understand that B and T cells are protective if you do contract the virus, but my main concern is that my 88 year old mother not get it at all. A breakthrough case could be very dangerous for her. She will get the Moderna booster when it becomes available. I appreciate your kindness and effort put forth in these videos.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - yes, there is a lot of confusion on this issue. More is not necessarily better. People are still trying to figure out a "minimum" level of antibodies, especially neutralizing antibodies, for protection. The answer is not simple and any conclusions will likely be less reliable. I will be talking about the role of B and T cells in a future video - stay tuned. In case of your Mother, she should be eligible for the Moderna booster. It is expected to be authorized very soon. I have a video coming out on this next week. Best wishes and stay safe.

[@jolanhowes3604]

@@NaveenAgarwalPhD Thanks for your response. I hope that you will be safe also.

[@belvedere92]

?What is the anti-body level for AZN?

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - someone else has also asked this question. I will look into it and make an updated video which will review all the major vaccines. Thanks

[@AprilMay]

I just did an Antibody Test at LabCorp yesterday… my results are 622. I received the Pfizer vaccine 6 months ago. Is that a good number? I wish they told you a range on the test itself, but they do not. Thank you so much!

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi April - this is a sufficiently high number. Do you have the name of the test? Most likely, they are measuring IgG, which is not exactly the same as neutralizing antibodies, but the two are correlated. Higher the total IgG, higher the level of neutralizing antibodies. There is too much focus on antibody levels in my opinion. More is not necessarily better. Our immune system works in a wonderful way and there is more to it than just antibody levels. What is more important is change in the level and how fast it changes. That is how you should look at it and discuss with your doctor about the need for a booster shot. Best wishes and stay safe.

[@jhhuang8967]

The recommended anti body test by LabCorp is called SARS-CoV-2 Semi-Quant Total Ab . I did one about two months after second pfizer shot, it was 2081 U/ml. I did another one after pfizer booster shot. This time the result only shows > 2500 U/ml. Too bad they won't show you the actual number if it's greater than 2500. Given booster shots should boost your antibody 10-20x higher, this cap make the test not very useful. Any one know a similar test which show you the real number without the cap?

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

@@jhhuang8967 Hi - yes, if the number is above their maximum value, they will report only as that number. The good news is that these results are consistent with what we should expect after receiving a booster shot. Did you feel any side effects? How did it compare to your experience after the 2nd dose?

[@jhhuang8967]

@@NaveenAgarwalPhD That 2500 U/ml reporting cap is really low. The average pfizer recipient's have about 1000U/ml - 3000 U/ml few weeks after two shots. For moderna, that's 2000 -4000 U/ml. The 10x or higher antibody level the booster shot give is completely out of their reporting range. This cap make the test completely useless to track your antibody level except for those non/low responders. As for side effects, just some muscle soreness but it's getting better shot after shots.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

@@jhhuang8967 Hi - I think there is a lot of focus on antibody levels. A question has been asked if there is a minimum level of antibodies needed for some level of protection against coronavirus. This question has not been answered well - at least the FDA has not come out with any specific guidance. So, it is ok to have antibody levels on the low side because it is still a good sign. Also, note that every test is different - so they data they are reporting should not be taken as absolute. Most important to see a rise in antibody level after booster, no matter what the level is. Finally, I am happy to hear that you did not experience any major side effects. That seems to be consistent with the general experience across the board.

[@dathyr1]

Thanks for all the information. Looks like each person will be different. I recently just got the first 2 pfizer shots, but still do my safeguards.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - thats a good idea to continue taking precautions. Are you thinking about taking a booster shot?

[@dathyr1]

@@NaveenAgarwalPhD Yes probably my booster will be the pfizer shot due in April. Want to stay with the same medicine. thanks and take care.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

@@dathyr1 Thanks for sharing. Your decision makes sense. According to new data (video coming out next Monday), nearly 99% of those who chose an mRNA vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer) as their primary vaccine, stayed with the same type for the third dose. Best wishes.

[@zachsiatrevor]

Can the body produce Antibodies after recovering from covid? Even after the antibodies(Monoclonal Antibodies) were taken?

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - yes that is correct. Think of monoclonal antibody as a "booster" to your immune system. If you recovered after covid, hopefully your immune system also produced some antibodies. The best way to check would be to do a test.

[@jivvyjack7723]

Is there similar data available for Astrazenaca, Sinovac & Sinopharm? Thanks.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - I am sure there is some data out there but I have not looked into it. Did you receive one of these vaccines? Let me know your specific question of interest and I will look into it.

[@jivvyjack7723]

@@NaveenAgarwalPhD Thank you. I received the Pfizer. But I have friends and relatives who received AZ and Sinovac. So just curious about their data too.

[@kirkcruz9721]

Please do attenuated virus also like sinovac and sinopharm

[@travisscott9359]

Mr. Agarwal, had the 2nd Pfizer shot in June '21. Today I got the results back from the Labcorp Antibody test and I am still over 2500 U/mL. Isn't that kind of high for it being more than 6 months since the shot?

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - thats good news though, right? Anyway, you should compare it to the number you would have seen 2 weeks after your 2nd shot. I am guessing it was much higher than the number you are getting now. Everyone is different! Good luck and stay safe.

[@travisscott9359]

@@NaveenAgarwalPhD In a sense it is good. But, I want the antibodies out of my system, because I've had side effect since the 2nd shot. I was thinking once the antibodies are gone my symptoms will completely go away.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

@@travisscott9359 Hi - are you thinking that antibodies are somehow linked to side effects? If so, this is a misunderstanding. Antibodies work based on a totally different mechanism. They are highly specific, and in this case their only job is to block the virus from entering our cells. This is the only way the virus replicates inside our system. Antibodies to the spike protein of the coronavirus function by blocking this pathway. If you are having persistent side effects and symptoms, please make sure to discuss with your doctor.

[@travisscott9359]

@@NaveenAgarwalPhD I spoken to my doctor, had all type of test done and there is nothing they can find. Blood work, MRI, CT and nothing. So I know my side effects are linked to the vaccine. It's funny how doctors and vaccine proponents never want to talk about the side effects. Thank you

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

@@travisscott9359 Hi I am sorry to hear about your experience. There is a lot of data available on side effects, but you are right that there is not much discussion on individual side effects and guidance on what someone should do. Your doctor is the best source of personalized advice. It can be frustrating when you don't get clear advice even after doing all kinds of diagnostics tests. I wish you all the best and thank you for participating in a very positive, constructive conversation.

[@lazlohere]

Thank you so much for this information! It's hard to find someone explaining the Antibody tests clearly with numbers. I got the Moderna Vaccine (the second dose in May '21). I did the Antibody test on the 25th of Nov '21 (so about 6 months) and I got 3,743 au/ML (I did the IgG (anti spike RBD) -ser) In the video it shows 4,346 so I'm a little below average. Can you please give me an idea on when I should get the Booster shot? Maybe when antibodies fall below 2,000 or 1,000 or... something else? Because I have no idea, Thank you again!

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - thanks for your comment and question - you should be eligible to take the booster shot 6 months after the second dose. So right about now. Before I heard about Omicron, I would have said go get the booster as soon as you are eligible. I am in the same situation myself. But after Omicron, I am not yet sure if it would be better to wait for a more specialized booster (which I think is probably going to be here soon). But I am keeping a close eye on this - I am sure we will learn very soon if Omicron is able to overcome the antibodies produced by the current vaccines. My guess is that it cannot, but I want to see what comes out of the work going on right now. In the meantime, continue to take precautions.

[@lazlohere]

@@NaveenAgarwalPhD Thank you so much!

[@minchem1]

@@NaveenAgarwalPhD I see another Monkey research top most figure saying what is the requirement for fighting Covid was on NAB (neutralising antibodies 50 RBD ELISA 100 S ELISA 400. My old test IgG result shows 12.7 normal range says 7.0 - 16.0. Does this mean 7-16million? Or what does this mean in comparison for count on Pfizer?

[@benbonham7861]

So interesting. Here is some info... Quest sars cov2 ab igg spike semi qn test... 67 yo male 2 months after infection no vaccine 16.66 Same test 66 yo female 5 months after infection ...63.96 Please explain the different values in the different tests.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - this shows that every individual is different.

[@ayebeloved880]

So, sir, how do you concluded the effeftivity of the vaccines?

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - Vaccine effectiveness is based on clinical trial performance. They compare the rate of infection in vaccinated vs placebo groups to calculate vaccine effectiveness. Antibody levels are indicators of immune response and correlate with vaccine effectiveness.

[@teofilamarinas5711]

New subscriber here Doc😍 i just want to ask you was it means for my result about my Spike IgG serum test i took after my 2nd vaccine for 10months.. 336.0 and

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - thanks for subscribing! How long after your 2nd dose did you take the booster shot? Personally, I don't think it is necessary for you to do another antibody test; it seems your immune system was able to produce antibodies before. So, the booster shot will definitely "boost" your antibody levels. If you have a medical condition that requires you to keep a close watch on the antibody levels, you could do another test after 2-3 months of the booster shot. This will tell you if your antibody levels have decreased sharply (they will decrease, but how fast depends on each person). Hope this helps.

[@teofilamarinas5711]

@@NaveenAgarwalPhD Thanks Doc for your response.. I'm just what to know how my Antibody develops after a vakzin so in 2 months i will have a serum test only for my personal interest.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

@@teofilamarinas5711 Makes sense, best wishes to you.

[@rbhanumathi8348]

We had COVID three month back our igg test for antibody level is >100, igm level,are 3, 2.5. .87 respectively when we have to take vaccine,so for we have not taken vaccine,and vitamin d level is sufficient level,the tests were taken few days back

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - unless you have a specific health reason, I would recommend taking an available vaccine in your area. If you have already recovered from a prior infection, getting the vaccine will act like an automatic booster and your antibody levels will be even higher. Follow the guidance by your local health authorities. Best wishes and stay safe.

[@rbhanumathi8348]

@@NaveenAgarwalPhD thank you very much doctor for your reply

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

@@rbhanumathi8348 You are welcome!

[@federicopieroni9601]

Naveen I would like to be in contact with you. Your vids are very helpful. Thanks from Italy.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - thank you for your message. You can send me a message from the Contact Us page on my website. I will reply via email exeedqm.com/contact-1

[@sanithsssanu]

Good presentation, do we need a booster dose after breakthrough infection? Antibody result is around 4800 (tested after 3 months of covid + break through infection)

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - you can look at recovery from a prior infection as getting a "booster dose"!. However, I suggest you review the guidance provided by your local health authority. If you can, measure your antibody levels after 2-3 months to see if they have dropped. Which vaccine did you take?

[@sanithsssanu]

@@NaveenAgarwalPhD Sinopharm

[@iFazzza3]

If i have high antibodies is it safe to take vaccine? Thank you for the valuable informations

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - More important is how fast the antibody levels are decreasing over time. If antibody levels are low, then taking a booster shot to keep your antibody levels at a sufficiently high level will be beneficial. In terms of safety, these vaccines are generally well-tolerated but every individual is different. That is why I have been emphasizing that your personal decision needs to be based on your circumstances and doctor's advice.

[@rennanagustin3701]

How about people who received sinovac vaccine?

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - I do not have any information about the Sinovac vaccine. If I am able to review any publicly available data from a credible source, I will provide an update.

[@veniboyadjiev3854]

Why no one is talking about antibodies after natural immunisation with sarscov2? Is it a tabu? Why no one is comparing the vaccines antibodies vs natural immunity?

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - there is some data appearing and I am tracking. When I find something credible, I will share. On a side note, the concept of "natural" immunity is not correct. A better way to compare the two scenarios would be vaccine-acquired immunity vs infection acquired immunity.

[@benbonham7861]

Because they don't want to know.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

@@benbonham7861 Hi I came across some data and I have reviewed it. Video update coming soon.

[@sweetz0976]

Hi. My wife and I recently did an igG test and I received 10,963 5AU/ml and my wife was 18, 900 5AU/ml. Are these numbers ok or are they too high. I'm only asking because our doctor was quite surprised by the numbers? We took it at our peak vaccine day. Thanks for your time.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

Hi - These are high numbers but it also depends on the test. Which test did you do? Also, what do you mean by "peak vaccine day"?

[@sweetz0976]

We did a spike protein test. We received the Johnson vaccine in May and we took a shot of AstraZeneca. What I meant by peak was, the day we took the test it was 28 days after we took the AstraZeneca vaccine. We received the AstraZeneca vaccine the 21st of October.

[@sweetz0976]

Also I see a lot of people saying mix vaccines with Johnson and Pfizer or moderna but no information with mixing Johnson and AstraZeneca. Is this a good choice in your opinion to receive the second dose of AstraZeneca when it comes time for it? I just want to ask another doctor as well their opinion.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

@@sweetz0976 Hi - I have not seen any data on mixing an mRNA vaccine with Astra Zeneca. In any case, you should take both of the doses of the Astra Zeneca vaccine first because that is what is required to complete the primary series. Based on my understanding of the similarity between J&J and Astra Zeneca vaccines (both are DNA, viral vector vaccines), getting a booster of the mRNA after Astra Zeneca should work. But I have not seen the exact data and you should discuss your specific situation with your doctor before making that decision.

[@NaveenAgarwalPhD]

@@sweetz0976 ok thank you for the information. To clarify, did you take a first dose of the J&J vaccine then another dose of the Astra Zeneca vaccine as a booster shot?

[@Noor-ty1xt]

Covid -19 abs against rbd and spike