COVID-19 vaccines: Immune correlates and clinical outcomes
Shant H. Mahrokhian, Lisa H. Tostanoski, Samuel J. Vidal, Dan H. Barouch
Abstract
Severe disease due to COVID-19 has declined dramatically as a result of widespread vaccination and natural immunity in the population. With the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants that largely escape vaccine-elicited neutralizing antibody responses, the efficacy of the original vaccines has waned and has required vaccine updating and boosting. Nevertheless, hospitalizations and deaths due to COVID-19 have remained low. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of immune responses that contribute to population immunity and the mechanisms how vaccines attenuate COVID-19 disease severity.
Topics & Concepts
VaccinationImmunologyImmunityCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)Immune systemMedicineHerd immunityDiseasePopulationPandemicVaccine efficacySevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)2019-20 coronavirus outbreakVirologyInfectious disease (medical specialty)OutbreakEnvironmental healthInternal medicineSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchCOVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesLong-Term Effects of COVID-19