Nov. 20 (UPI) -- The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine appears to offer at least some protection against COVID-19, possibly preventing severe illness from the disease, a study published Friday by the online journal mBio found.
Among 41 people born in the United States who received the shot -- known as the MMR vaccine -- eight had immunity against the new coronavirus or had no symptoms after becoming infected, the researchers said.
This apparent immunity against severe COVID-19 may have been because of their high levels of antibodies -- or immune cells that fight off infection -- against the mumps, they said.
Seventeen people who received the MMR vaccine but had lower mumps antibody levels developed only mild COVID-19 symptoms, while those with the fewest mumps antibodies after vaccination suffered moderate illness or needed to be hospitalized for treatment.
Antivaxxers drive me crazy, putting their children's lives at risk for reasons that are usually factually incorrect, and often driven by a hostility towards authority figures (including men in white coats). Vaccination is one of the great godsends of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Is this a possible reason for small number of children victims?
ReplyDeleteAgreed on anti-vaxxers. I have a friend who is one, because he's a conspiracy theorist. That's the case with many anti-vaxxers - they buy into conspiracy theories.
ReplyDeleteAnd, you cannot argue with a conspiracy theorist - they have a need to believe.