Dynamics of antibody response to CoronaVac vaccine

Abstract

CoronaVac was the first vaccine approved in Brazil for use in healthcare workers (HCWs). However, there is limited information about it, with little long-term evidence on post-vaccination antibody persistence. This study evaluated the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 in 1237 HCWs after the first (1D), second dose (2D), and 6 months postvaccination (6mA2D) with CoronaVac. The seropositivity was 88% at 1D, increasing to 99.8% at 2D, but decreasing to 97.9% at 6mA2D, which was also observed at the analyzed antibody levels. Interestingly, the levels in females were higher than males, and we found a positive correlation with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Participants with comorbidities had lower levels suggesting the need to monitor for a potential booster dose. Our findings suggest that CoronaVac induced a robust antibody response that wanes significantly over time. Further longitudinal studies are needed to identify whether the antibodies will decline or plateau at a lower level.