Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is potentially a deadly disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that targets the lung mainly, resulting in respiratory tract infections in humans. It has developed into a pandemic with serious global public health problems. Recent research has shown that the new SARS-CoV-2 variants reduces the efficacy of the vaccinations and are predominantly more transmissible or infective. A few countries namely Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Turkey have recently started introducing a booster dose following primary two doses of the COVID-19 immunization series. This study aims to identify which booster dose is more effective; taking a booster dose from the same vaccine initially taken or a booster dose from a different vaccine than initially taken.
According to the World Health Organization COVID-19 Dashboard, the coronavirus disease 2019
pandemic, has caused over 181 million infections and more than 3 million deaths worldwide as
of July 1, 2021. COVID-19 is potentially a deadly disease caused by severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that targets the lung mainly resulting in respiratory
tract infections in humans. This has become a serious concern for public health.
Among the currently approved COVID-19 vaccines in the Kingdom of Bahrain, BBIBP-CorV
(inactivated virus) vaccine and BNT162b2 (mRNA vaccine) is being administered to the
population.
Inactivated vaccines have been extensively studied. In a phase 1/2 trial, the BBIBP-CorV
vaccine has shown to be generally safe against COVID-19 and induce antibody responses.
However, WHO's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) experts have summarized information
from clinical trials in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, and China indicating
that individuals with comorbidities and older adults (≥60 years) who received 2 doses of
BBIBP-CorV have low confidence in the efficacy of preventing COVID-19.
Current clinical trials have played a key role in the approval of different COVID vaccines
based on their efficacy data, however, there is still uncertainty regarding the duration of
protection from these vaccines towards the COVID -19 virus. Recent evidence has shown that
the new SARS-CoV-2 variants reduces the efficacy of the vaccinations and are predominantly
more transmissible or infective.
A few countries namely Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Turkey have recently started
introducing a booster dose following primary two doses of the COVID-19 immunization series.
The enhanced humoral response has been seen in homologous vaccination. Heterologous
vaccination has shown to significantly induce more immunogenicity than homologous vector
boost, and higher or comparable to the homologous mRNA regimens. Strong humoral and immune
response has also been induced by heterologous vector-mRNA boosting with an acceptable
reactogenicity profile.
To our knowledge, there has been no research conducted to date on the reactogenic and
immunogenetic response of a COVID-19 booster dose after completing the primary two doses of
the COVID-19 immunization series. This study will compare the reactogenic and immunogenetic
response of heterologous BNT162b2 booster dose after completing two doses of BBIBP-CorV
vaccination versus homologous BBIBP-CorV booster after completing two doses of BBIBP-CorV
vaccination.
Biological: BBIBP-CorV
Inactivated virus COVID-19 vaccine
Other Name: Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine
Biological: BNT162b2
mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine
Other Name: Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adults aged ≥21yo.
- Asymptomatic 24h before the administration of booster dose.
- Has no active or previous RT-PCR lab-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.
- Completed three months to six months after the second dose of BBIBP-CorV.
- Have at least one Antibody test done before receiving the BBIBP-CorV booster dose OR
can be done if the participant is yet to receive the BNT162b2 booster dose.
- Tested negative using Rapid Antigen Detection Test on the day of receiving the booster
(positive results will confirm with RT-PCR).
- Study participants must have the ability to give informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Children aged <21yo.
- Symptomatic within 24h before the administration of booster dose.
- Has active or previous RT-PCR lab-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis.
- Did not complete three months to six months after the second dose of BBIBP-CorV.
- Does not have at least one Antibody test done before receiving the BBIBP-CorV booster
dose
- Tested positive using Rapid Antigen Detection Test on the day of receiving the booster
(positive results will be confirmed with PCR).
- Patients unable to give informed consent.
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain
Manama, Bahrain
Manaf AlQahtani, Dr., Principal Investigator
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain