Health: UK researchers identify T-cell targets for future Covid vaccines – Gulf Digital News

Health: UK researchers identify T-cell targets for future Covid vaccines – Gulf Digital News

LONDON: British researchers said on Wednesday they had identified proteins in the coronavirus that are recognised by T-cells of people who are exposed to the virus but resist infection, possibly providing a new target for vaccine developers.

Immunity against Covid-19 is a complex picture, and while there is evidence of waning antibody levels six months after vaccination, T-cells are also believed to play a vital role in providing protection.

The University College London (UCL) researchers examined 731 health workers in two London hospitals during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, and found that many had not tested positive despite likely exposure to the original coronavirus.