A new study has revealed that COVID-19 booster vaccines not only provide protection against the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) but may also help build immunity against potential new coronaviruses that could be transmitted from animals to humans in the future.
According to researchers at the University of Cambridge, antibodies generated by COVID vaccines are capable of recognizing not only different variants of the current virus but also certain coronaviruses found in animals that could potentially cause future outbreaks.
Study co-author Grace West said that the researchers expected COVID vaccines to be effective against current variants. However, they were surprised to find that the vaccines may also provide protection against some animal coronaviruses that have the potential to trigger future pandemics.
It is worth noting that, according to the World Health Organization, more than 13 billion doses of COVID vaccines have been administered worldwide, playing a significant role in reducing hospitalizations and death rates.
