Choosing the arm for the COVID-19 vaccine and booster is commonly disregarded by people. But, a new study explained why this matters the most when combating the deadly novel coronavirus.
Choosing the Arm for COVID-19 Vaccine: Does It Matter?
![[STUDY] Choosing the Arm for COVID-19 Vaccine Could Lead to Stronger Immune Response, But How?](https://1075914428.rsc.cdn77.org/data/images/full/280596/study-choosing-the-arm-for-covid-19-vaccine-could-lead-to-stronger-immune-response-but-how.jpg?w=820 "[STUDY] Choosing the Arm for COVID-19 Vaccine Could Lead to Stronger Immune Response, But How?")
This picture taken on November 17, 2020, shows a syringe and a bottle reading "Vaccine Covid-19". - According to the World Health Organization, some 42 "candidate vaccines" against the novel coronavirus COVID-19 are undergoing clinical trials on November 17, 2020.
According to Fox News' latest report, scientists from Saarland University in Germany conducted a study about the arm for the COVID-19 vaccine and booster.
They published their research in the journal EBioMedicine after analyzing data from over 300 individuals who received COVID-19 vaccines, specifically the Pfizer-BioNTech.
Based on their findings, 147 of the participants had the booster in the same arm they used for their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Researchers said that 67% of these individuals had cytotoxic cells called "killer T cells," which attack and destroy cells infected by the virus.
Meanwhile, 156 participants decided to get booster shots in the opposite arm. Unfortunately, only 43% of them had the killer T cells.
"Our study indicates that ipsilateral vaccinations generate a stronger immune response than contralateral vaccinations," said Laura Ziegler, one of the researchers from Saarland University.
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Which Arm Should You Choose?
![[STUDY] Choosing the Arm for COVID-19 Vaccine Could Lead to Stronger Immune Response, But How?](https://1075914428.rsc.cdn77.org/data/images/full/280595/study-choosing-the-arm-for-covid-19-vaccine-could-lead-to-stronger-immune-response-but-how.jpg?w=820 "[STUDY] Choosing the Arm for COVID-19 Vaccine Could Lead to Stronger Immune Response, But How?")
Nurse Practitioner Terri Welch administers a dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to a patient at the Haxby and Wigginton Group Medical Practice in Haxby, northern England on December 22, 2020. - Europe is expected to start a massive vaccination campaign after Christmas following the United States and Britain.
Based on the results acquired by involved health experts, the arm that you need to use is the same one that received the first COVID-19 vaccine dose.
By using the same arm for vaccine boosters, there's a high chance that your body will trigger a stronger immune response than those who are using both of their arms.
Dr. William Schaffner, a professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said that the new study is a fascinating subject, via CNN Health.
He added that there's this new study is one of a kind. However, researchers said that more work is needed before their study can be used for other sequential vaccines, such as those used for flu and tropical diseases.
"But it does seem possible that some vaccinations will generate a stronger immune response if the injections are delivered into the same arm," they said.
Dr. Marc Siegal, an NYU Langone Medical Center medicine professor, said that although it was a small study, the findings still offer great insights into the killer T cells.
If you want to learn more about this new COVID-19 vaccine study, you can click this link.
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