Excellent data: thank you! Two things to keep in mind:
The comment on page 5: the study was “Not powered or designed to compare between the groups”
They’re only looking at antibody levels (because those are relatively easy to measure), but there’s a good argument that some of the differences between strategies will involve activation of B cells & T cells.
The comment on study power is why I was pretty surprised at the FDA and CDC approvals, based on this study which itself says it’s underpowered. I think they were mostly motivated by the safety results that boosters were at least as safe as the primers. So if it might do some good and probably does no harm, they can get to an EUA from there.
This is not the way they usually behave, but then again, these are not usual times.
Excellent data: thank you! Two things to keep in mind:
The comment on page 5: the study was “Not powered or designed to compare between the groups”
They’re only looking at antibody levels (because those are relatively easy to measure), but there’s a good argument that some of the differences between strategies will involve activation of B cells & T cells.
See also the limitations on page 33.
Yes, absolutely.
The comment on study power is why I was pretty surprised at the FDA and CDC approvals, based on this study which itself says it’s underpowered. I think they were mostly motivated by the safety results that boosters were at least as safe as the primers. So if it might do some good and probably does no harm, they can get to an EUA from there.
This is not the way they usually behave, but then again, these are not usual times.