BioNTech shots trigger more antibodies than Sinovac: study

[HONG KONG] The BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine triggered "substantially higher" levels of antibodies compared to the Chinese-made Sinovac jab, the South China Morning Post reported Saturday, citing a study by the University of Hong Kong.

The results suggested some recipients of the Sinovac vaccine may need a third shot, the newspaper said, citing lead researcher Benjamin Cowling. The epidemiologist led the government-commissioned study that tracked antibody responses of 1,000 vaccinated people.

Cowling warned antibody tests might fail to pick up small amounts of antibodies generated by the Sinovac jabs. He was commenting on a recommendation by the government's scientific advisers to cut quarantine time for vaccinated travelers who test positive for antibodies but negative for the virus, the newspaper said.

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