Administration of the second dose of Pfizer vaccine 12 weeks after the first, significantly increases the immune response of the elderly, according to a new British study.
The production of antibodies in the body of citizens over 80 years is three and a half times higher when the second dose is given 12 weeks after the first dose compared to a three-week gap between doses, according to a study by the University of Birmingham in collaboration with the Public Health England.
In the United Kingdom, from a very early stage of the vaccination program, the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, like the other vaccines available, is given 12 weeks after the first.
This is despite the fact that Pfizer from the beginning recommends a period of three weeks between the two doses.
The British researchers based their findings on 175 volunteers over the age of 80 and described it as the first direct comparison of the immune response depending on the time interval between the two doses of the drug.
The study's lead author, Dr. Helen Paris of the University of Birmingham, said the study was "critical, especially for older people, as the immune response to vaccines worsens with age".