WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- A booster dose of the mRNA-1273 COVID-19 vaccine given to rhesus macaques about six months after their primary vaccine series significantly increased levels of neutralizing antibodies against all known SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, according to a new study of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) published on Thursday.

The study, published in Science, also showed that the increased neutralizing antibody responses were sustained for at least eight weeks after the boost, and were significantly higher than after the primary vaccine series.

The antibody responses generated high-level protection, meaning the ability to significantly limit virus from replicating in the lungs and nose, according to the study.

These data suggest that booster triggers a strong immune memory response and potentially longer lasting immunity.

The researchers also determined that both the mRNA-1273 vaccine developed to target the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and a slightly modified version of the vaccine targeting the Beta variant, were equivalent in their ability to boost antibody responses and protect.

In people, an mRNA-1273 booster vaccine may improve the duration and potency of protection against upper and lower airway infection by any of the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Delta, according to the study.

The results support vaccine boosting in the elderly, people with pre-existing health conditions, those at high-risk exposure, and those who responded poorly to primary vaccination, said the researchers. Enditem

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