BioNTech Offers Longer Protection Than Sinovac: Study

A study by Chinese University has found that the BioNTech vaccine produces more antibodies against Covid-19 than the Sinovac jab, but both are effective in preventing serious illness.

David Hui, a professor of respiratory medicine at the university, told an RTHK programme on Wednesday that about 700 people participated in the study, and were tested for their antibody levels one month and six months after their second shots.

BioNTech produces a higher level of antibodies, and the antibody level of 80 percent of those inoculated with BioNTech was still up to standard after those periods of time, while only 16 percent of people who received Sinovac had a good enough level of antibodies, he said.

Hui said Sinovac recipients therefore have a more pressing need for a booster shot, noting many countries now consider three shots as “fully vaccinated” for inactivated vaccines like Sinovac.

“This matches data on the mainland, which showed that most people who received inactivated vaccines have very low antibody levels six to eight months after the vaccination. So people who got Sinovac need to get a third shot sooner,” he said.

Hui added, however, that researchers also looked at the T-cell response, and found that Sinovac did slightly better.

He said it is the white blood cell response that is important in preventing serious illness, hospitalisation and death.

As for the new Omicron variant of Covid, the expert said it looks like it’s very contagious, as it’s appeared in around 40 countries or regions in a short period of time. But he said it seems Omicron is weaker than the Delta variant in terms of causing serious illness.