A 62-year-old man in Germany made a deliberate choice to receive 217 doses of COVID-19 vaccines over a span of 29 months. These vaccinations were not a part of any clinical study. Upon learning about this “hypervaccinated” individual, medical researchers from Germany approached him to conduct tests.
According to a paper published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases medical journal on Monday, the researchers discovered the man’s case when a public prosecutor in Magdeburg, Germany, initiated a fraud investigation. The man, who intentionally received the vaccines for personal reasons, received a total of 130 vaccinations. However, the prosecutor decided not to press criminal charges against him.
The researchers approached the man and the prosecutor with a proposal, expressing their intention to study the potential effects on his immune system resulting from receiving a large number of vaccinations.
According to the study, the researchers compared the antibody levels of the man who voluntarily provided blood and saliva samples to a control group of 29 people who received three doses of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
The man’s antibody levels were measured after his 214th vaccination, and they were found to be at their highest on that day. Similarly, three days after his 215th vaccination, his antibody levels were also elevated. The contraction kinetics, which represent the cell response to the antibodies, mirrored those of the control group. However, his 217th vaccination only resulted in a modest increase in antibodies.
As his vaccinations increased, they examined the levels of various types of cells that play a role in immune system responses. While some of these cells were enhanced, many levels remained consistent with those of the control group.
According to the researchers, the man did not experience any significant side effects, despite receiving an unusually high number of doses.
The study states that our case report demonstrates that hypervaccination with SARS-CoV-2 did not result in any adverse events. Additionally, it was observed that the quantity of spike-specific antibodies and T cells increased without significantly impacting the intrinsic quality of adaptive immune responses. However, the study also notes that although no signs of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections have been detected in the individual thus far, it cannot be definitively determined if this is directly linked to the hypervaccination regimen.
The authors emphasize that they do not support hypervaccination as a method to improve adaptive immunity.
It is highly recommended for individuals aged 6 months and older in the U.S. to stay updated with COVID-19 vaccinations. In the U.S., there are three types of COVID-19 vaccines available: two mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer, and a protein subunit vaccine from Novavax. The CDC states that there is no preferential recommendation for one vaccine over the others. For information on the number of recommended doses based on your past vaccinations, the CDC provides a table.
The CDC has made updates to its COVID-19 guidelines, which include shortening the isolation period to 5 days. Additionally, the agency has provided new guidance on masks and testing. In their announcement, the CDC stated that the revised recommendations aim to offer a comprehensive approach to managing the risk of not only COVID-19 but also other infections such as the flu and RSV.
