Rohit Shishodia  

Development of lower or no antibodies after corona vaccination has triggered confusion and anxiety in people. It may be noted that antibodies provide immunity from corona  and

in hope that they may be protected from severe infection, people are now getting vaccinated.

However, they are perplexed looking into their lab reports indicating abnormally low levels of IgG. They wonder as to why even after the second dose of vaccine they don’t have adequate antibodies. Surprisingly, there are people who have not developed a single antibody even after being administered with second dose of vaccine.

Mr Ajit Singh, 60 (name changed) resident of Gautam Budhnagar district, UP, told this correspondent that he and his wife (55) got first and second doses of vaccines together. After 15 to 20 days which is mandatory for development of antibodies after getting second dose of vaccines, they tested their Anti-SARS-Cov-2 IgG (antibodies).

Singh’s antibodies were found at 29.55 while his wife got merely 3.5 antibodies. If both are multiplied by 20. Their spike protein is 600 and 80 respectively. This made Singh anxious about how they both got different levels of antibodies after getting both doses of vaccines at same time.

He is looking for answers about such anomaly and equally seeks, that what should be the upper and safe limit of antibodies so that he and others, who have been vaccinated, should feel safe and come out from their homes for daily chores.

According to a House of Diagnostics (lab) report for IgG, anything between one and four is considered to be of  poor or low antibodies levels while between four and eighteen is considered of medium levels . Above eighteen is said to be good amount of antibodies. IgG below one is interpreted as no antibodies.

This is not only the case of Mr Singh. There are many like him who get their antibodies tested after vaccination but they find that they have not developed any antibody in their blood.

An employee of Delhi’s reputed medical institute was vaccinated in January 2021 when the mega vaccination program was kicked off. He tested his for his antibodies later on, and found that he did not have adequate levels of antibodies. This made him worried and he still keeps asking his seniors as to why he has not developed any antibodies.

It may be noted that such issues make people averse to the process of vaccination. They feel that even after going through recommended two dose vaccination if they do not develop any immunity then what the use of getting vaccines. Now people, who have not developed antibodies after vaccination, are complaining and find themselves helpless.

In June 2021, a man from Lucknow, had filed a police complaint against Serum Institute of India CEO Adar Poonawalla, ICMR Director-General Dr Balram Bhargava and others alleging that no antibodies against Covid-19 have developed in his body despite being inoculated with a  dose of Covishield.

These issues are about the people who have been vaccinated and developed different levels or no antibodies. But there are people who have been asymptomatic but they have developed antibodies. They came to know about it when they got themselves tested for their IgG levels.

Megha (name changed), 28, Delhi, her reports showed IgG levels at 18 which are considered to be of medium level antibodies. Now strongly believes that she would not get a vaccine as she has enough of  antibodies though apparently never suffered from Corona .

Her company HR, who had earlier asked her to get vaccinated before being allowed to join back after lockdown, has now agreed in view of her reports.

These are some unanswered questions which keep people on tenterhooks. Experts too do not have any clear answers on this subject. But they stressed that  people have different immune responses to vaccines due to which their antibodies vary. However, they emphasized that antibodies are not the only criteria that make you immune but memory and T-cells play a crucial part in protection from further infections.

“This is an active area of research, and there is no clear cut answer as of now,” said Dr Neeraj Nischal, Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, Delhi-AIIMS.

“Preliminary data suggests that antibodies generated against the spike protein (either after natural infection or vaccination) correlate somewhat with neutralization titre and consequently protection. However, it is difficult to provide a cutoff level above which one will be considered protected from further infection,” he explained.

“Moreover, antibodies are only one aspect of how the body protects itself against reinfection. A significant contribution is also made by T cells which are not routinely assessed but are nonetheless very important. One more aspect is the genetic differences between individuals, which governs the immune response to antigens,” said Dr Nischal.

On development of different level of antibodies, Dr Puneet Misra, Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Delhi-AIIMS, pointed out that the immune system of different people response differently.

“The production of antibodies also depends on different types of vaccines, current condition of health and treatment. Apart from antibodies, there are other factors also which include memory cells, T-cells. They also boost immunity,” he added.

“All vaccines are not 100% effective. Some give 80% while some provide 70% protection against the virus. There are certain people whose body structure and mechanism are such that immune response is not generated effectively,” explained Dr Misra.  

Dr Anil Singh Modi, Pathologist, ONGC, Uttarakhand, echoed the views expressed by Dr Nischal and Dr Misra.

He emphasized that everyone has a different body makeup. It reacts differently and the development of immunity varies from person to person. Some people develop antibodies but it has been seen that many don’t . I have known many people who had severe Covid but no antibodies have been detected  despite testing them thrice. It depends how one’s body reacts to vaccines, added Dr Modi.

“There is no upper limit and safety limit of the range of antibodies. And even if you develop antibodies it does not mean that you are in a safe zone. Because antibodies are developed against a spike protein and if another variant comes and if it has different spike protein, it will not be effective,” explained Dr Modi.

“There is no benefit of testing antibodies. You cannot test immunity. Some people are immunogenic while some are not. You cannot do anything, the mantra is just get vaccinated and practice all Covid appropriate behavior. Many, who had good immunity, have died in the second wave,” explained Dr Modi.