After vaccination with Sputnik V (Gamaleya Center), antibodies to SARS‑CoV‑2 coronavirus, spike (S) protein, IgG, quantitative

Tests instead of vaccinations: when possible

There have been serious debates about the benefits and harms of vaccinations in recent decades. In fact, the anti-vaccination movement has existed since the invention of the smallpox vaccine, and then the main argument of the “opposition” was religion. Today it has been replaced by complications, “false” statistics and even a conspiracy by pharmacists. So is there any real reason for concern? And when is vaccination really contraindicated?

A little history

The world first heard the word “vaccination” at the turn of the 19th century.

At that time, the smallpox virus killed up to half a million people every year, and the survivors were left with scars for the rest of their lives. For years, doctors tried to find a life-saving cure for the infection, but an accident helped put an end to this “war.”

English doctor Edward Jenner once witnessed an interesting conversation about smallpox. The milkmaid assured that she could not become infected with smallpox, since she had cowpox. And that her fellow countrymen have known this for a long time.

Jenner decided to test this statement in practice and infected an 8-year-old boy with cowpox. The child not only remained alive, but also actually became immune to smallpox, despite numerous attempts to infect him.

This is how the very first vaccine in human history appeared, and one of the most dangerous infections began to lose its potency.

But that's not the whole story.

With the “birth” of vaccination, its opponents also appeared. Members of the clergy and doctors demanded that people stop receiving the vaccine, claiming that it could make them “bull-like.” And when it became obvious that no one had turned into bulls, the inadmissibility of interference in matters of life and death came into play.

Subsequently, vaccination was adopted at the legislative level, and at the same time its opponents united in organizations.

In the mid-19th century, they even managed to achieve legislation, after which the mortality rate from smallpox jumped sharply.

This law has never been repealed, but the anti-vaccination movement has not ceased to exist to this day.

Modern arguments

Today, the anti-vaccination movement appeals to facts, albeit taken from history or isolated cases.

Thus, the opinion about the low quality of vaccines first appeared back in 1955, when there were no strict regulations for the development of such drugs, and an unfinished polio vaccine actually came into use.

The outcome of this story became the greatest drama, because out of 200 thousand vaccinated, 40 were paralyzed. The vaccine was withdrawn from production, and the creation of new ones froze for many years.

However, polio continued to cripple the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, mostly children. Therefore, the creation of a safe drug did take place, but even here the “opposition” found arguments.

In very rare cases, vaccines still cause complications today. Like, for example, damage to the nervous system after the administration of a “live” polio vaccine (in the form of drops). Nowadays, a “killed” (inactivated) polio vaccine is used for the first injection, administered by injection and incapable, in principle, of leading to the disease.

Vaccine complications do occur, as some people's individual reactions are not predictable. True, the frequency of such complications cannot compete with the benefits of containing crippling epidemics.

Thus, complications of the same polio vaccine are observed in 1-3 cases per 1 million administrations. An abscess from ADS-M administration occurs in 6-10 vaccinated people. And the frequency of encephalitis due to anti-measles drug does not exceed 1 case.

At the same time, without mass immunization, for example, in third world countries, these infections continue to destroy and disable the population. And the statistics of such morbidity are always open on the WHO portal.

Vaccines and autism

At the end of the 20th century, British scientist Andrew Wakefield published a high-profile article linking the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine to autism.

The work instantly became widely known and became a new argument against vaccinations.

The article was later retracted because it contained significant statistical errors. But this news never reached the ears of the public. And anti-vaccination articles still “scare” about the connection between autism and vaccinations.

When it really is “not possible”

Of course, vaccines, like any drug, have contraindications.

Common ones include:

• acute inflammatory processes,
• exacerbation of chronic diseases,
• recovery period,
• immunosuppressive conditions
• and oncology.

Among the specific ones:

• a history of episodes of febrile seizures and progressive pathologies of the nervous system - for DPT;
• severe allergy to chicken egg white – for measles, mumps and influenza vaccines;
• allergy to baker's yeast - for hepatitis B drugs
• and some others.

Each of the contraindications is specified in the instructions for the drug and is available for viewing by anyone.

Such cases are the basis for a medical exemption from vaccination, which can be either temporary or lifelong.

Tests instead of vaccinations

You can use a blood test for antibodies instead of a regular vaccination if information about vaccinations is lost, or the patient is sure that he has already had an infection before.

The degree of protection against infection can be assessed by the concentration of IgG in the blood to a specific pathogen.

This way you can check your immunity to:

• measles,
• mumps,
• rubella,
• diphtheria,
• tetanus,
• chickenpox
• and even meningococcus.

But most often it is Mantu who causes the “debate”.

Only the Diaskin test is considered an officially recognized reaction replacement. However, by agreement with the child care center, you can take a T-SPOT blood test or a quantiferon test.

Thus, whether to vaccinate or protest is a personal decision for everyone, but before making it, it is worth carefully weighing all the reasonable pros and cons.

How coronavirus vaccination can affect blood test results

In rare cases, slight changes in the general blood test may occur 5-7 days after vaccination

Photo: Maria LENZ

We continue to answer the most frequently asked questions about the consequences of COVID-19 and vaccination against coronavirus. Today our consultant is Deputy Director for Clinical Analytical Work of the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor, Doctor of Medical Sciences Natalya Pshenichnaya.

? I was vaccinated, the second vaccination was on May 6 (remember, all three coronavirus vaccines used today in Russia include two injections with an interval of at least 3 weeks. - Ed.). I had a need to take tests - a general blood test, biochemistry, thyroid hormones. Please tell me whether it is necessary to postpone the tests to a later date - for example, 3 weeks after vaccination with the second component? Will the results be distorted if blood tests are taken earlier?

Sincerely, Elena

- In rare cases, minor changes in the general blood test may occur 5-7 days after vaccination. But these changes, if they occur, are very short-lived. After them, the indicators return to normal within 2-3 days.

If you need to get tested, you can safely do this 10-14 days after administration of the drug. Vaccination does not affect biochemical parameters and levels of thyroid hormones.

? I want to get vaccinated against covid. But during my life three times after being stung by wasps I had anaphylactic shock and Quincke's edema. I am 69 years old, the risk of getting Covid is high. But the fear of the unknown from the administered vaccine also stops us. What would you suggest?

Natalia Venetskova

— A history of severe allergic reactions is a contraindication to any vaccination.

In your case, it is necessary to very carefully and constantly follow all non-specific prevention measures for COVID-19. All close people around you should also follow these rules and get vaccinated if there are no contraindications.

From the editor: non-specific Covid prevention measures primarily include: wearing masks and respirators in crowded places, maintaining a distance from others of at least 1.5 - 2 m, using antiseptics or washing hands with soap. You can learn more about the prevention of coronavirus infection on the official portal stopcoronavirus.rf.

? Please tell me, can I get vaccinated against coronavirus? Age 76 years old, had a heart attack, four stents were placed, permanent atrial fibrillation, ischemia, hypertension, deep vein thrombosis and joint problems - hip and knee replacement needed. The ESR indicator is high - 30 (this parameter is one of the indicators of the presence of inflammation in the body. - Ed.). I live in the Orenburg region, we don’t have a cardiologist.

Nina Novikova

— You can and should be vaccinated, since you are at high risk for severe coronavirus infection. Your preferred vaccine will be EpiVacCorona, developed by the Novosibirsk scientific Rospotrebnadzor. But even after vaccination, it is important to constantly follow all recommended preventive measures (see above - Ed.).

Before vaccination, you should definitely consult with your physician to choose the optimal time for vaccination. By this time, your condition should be stable and compensated (that is, without exacerbations of chronic diseases). In any case, the final decision on vaccination and selection of the most suitable drug rests with your attending physician.

Dear readers! If you have questions about coronavirus infection and vaccination, send them by email to [email protected] with the subject “Covid questions.”

There is no need to do an antibody test before or after vaccination. Experts explain why

Photo: Unsplash.com

It is impossible to calculate the exact number of people vaccinated against Covid around the world, and there are many reasons for this, but few in the scientific community doubt the need to develop group immunity through mass vaccination. A hotly debated question arises: should you test yourself for antibodies before and after vaccination? There are different opinions on this matter, but many experts and official health authorities of countries agree on one thing: most likely, it is not necessary. We explain why and what reservations exist in this regard.

Antibody tests, which are tests designed to detect proteins created by the immune system to protect against the virus, are not 100% reliable. In addition, there are many of them, and there is no universal test. If you are being tested just to calm down, or to satisfy your curiosity, there is no problem with this. But you shouldn't make any serious decisions based on the test, including whether to get vaccinated or not, continue to wear a mask and maintain social distancing.

“Don’t try to predict how a vaccine will work—just get vaccinated and that’s it,” Sarah Fortune, head of the department of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health, told The Washington Post.

Antibody test before vaccination

Let's figure out whether you need to do an antibody test before vaccination in order to understand whether to get vaccinated at all - what if you got sick? The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) insists on vaccination regardless of whether you have had Covid (even asymptomatic) or not.

This is explained by the fact that the level of immunity acquired naturally varies from person to person, and by possible complications after the disease. Infectious disease specialist and professor of medicine and bioengineering at Northwestern University Rob Murphy explained to The Washington Post that antibody-mediated immunity is a very controversial issue. Scientists cannot yet answer the questions of how long it persists, and why some people who have recovered from the disease do not have antibodies at all.

In addition, preliminary data suggests that naturally developed immunity may not protect against the South African variant of coronavirus. That's why, Murphy insists, vaccination is necessary. According to the expert, the vaccine may be a more powerful immunogen than meeting the real virus, that is, provide more effective protection. The official conclusion (according to the CDC) is that an antibody test is not necessary to decide whether to get vaccinated . Not everyone agrees with the CDC's position, and those who do have some reservations.

The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation believes that “conducting laboratory tests for the presence of immunoglobulins of classes G and M to the SARS-CoV-2 virus is not mandatory.” At the same time, the department clarifies, persons “who have positive results... are not vaccinated.”

In what cases should blood be tested for antibodies after vaccination?

Currently, the Sputnik V vaccine is used to produce antibodies.

During its existence, this drug has already proven that it ensures the formation of neutralizing antibodies in the required quantity for immunity. Placebo drugs are not used in Russia for vaccination.

There are many people who want to check the presence of antibodies in the body. And in the end, the immune defense is able to check whether antibodies are produced in insufficient quantities. As a result, after vaccination, the reaction proceeds differently for each person.

Key points to consider when testing:

• Research should only be done in laboratories. Express analysis in the form of a strip is not particularly suitable for identifying the desired result. They do not test for antibodies, but only determine the presence of coronavirus.
• Antibody testing is recommended 42 days after vaccination. Since the body does not immediately begin to form antibodies. This process begins after three weeks from the date of injection. The analysis is recommended to be done after all stages of vaccination. At the moment there are two stages of injection.
• When choosing a blood test for coronavirus antibodies, you need to do a quantity test. Such a study will show in numbers how many antibodies are present.
• To check the dynamics of antibody formation, it is recommended to do tests in the same laboratory to correctly compare the results.

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