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Moderna’s Covid-19 Vaccine Appears to Work Well in Older Adults
Antibody responses were strong and side effects were minimal in adults aged 55 and up
There’s good news for older adults in the Covid-19 vaccine race: Moderna’s experimental vaccine appears to work as well in people over the age of 55 as it does in younger adults. The results, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that a high dose of the vaccine produces similar antibody responses in people aged 55 and up as it does in adults aged 18 to 55.
The immune system slows down with age, which places seniors at risk for both more frequent and more severe infections, as well as hindering the development of antibodies in response to vaccines. As a result, older adults often receive boosters or special versions of vaccines to ensure they’re fully protected from viruses. In some rare good news related to the Covid-19 pandemic, that doesn’t appear to be necessary for Moderna’s vaccine.
The trial included 40 people divided into two cohorts: 55- to 70-year-olds and people aged 71 years and up (the study didn’t specify the upper limit of participants’ ages). Half of the participants were given a low 25-microgram dose of the vaccine, while the other half received a higher dose of 100 micrograms. Regardless of age, the group…
