5 factors that affect our COVID-19 vaccine response, according to this expert

The Oxford vaccine trial at the center of safety concerns highlights the idea that people’s immune systems respond to vaccines differently. We don’t yet know whether reports of immune complications in one or two trial participants have been linked to the COVID-19 vaccine itself, or if they were given the placebo vaccine. But it does highlight the importance of phase 3 clinical trials in many thousands of people, across continents. These not only tell us whether a vaccine is safe, but also whether it works for people of different ages or with particular health issues. So what are some of the immune factors that determine whether any of the 180 or so COVID-19 vaccine candidates being developed around the world actually work? Our immune responses are all different An effective vaccine should generate long-lasting protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This can be by generating antibodies to neutralize the virus and likely also...