Different levels of antibodies needed for protection from various coronavirus strains
August 2, 2021, 2:48 am

Different levels of antibodies needed for protection from various coronavirus strains

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The TASS reported that Yekaterina Stepanova, a Russian infectious diseases specialist and a candidate of medical sciences said levels of antibodies that are enough to protect a person against various novel coronavirus strains are different, and cannot be viewed as a reliable criterion when deciding whether a vaccination is needed or not.

According to the Tass, she said: "As preliminary research shows, various strains require various levels of antibodies. For example, against the South African strain requires a level of over 1,000 BAU/ml. The level for the delta strain is presumed to be even higher, at 1,500 BAU/ml."

In her words, any level of antibodies shows that a person had been exposed to the infection. IgM antibodies in high numbers illustrate an acute phase of COVID-19. However, serum diagnostics cannot be 100% precise, and should not be viewed as an ultimate reason to skip vaccination.

She said: "If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, I advise you to get the jab <…> regardless of whether you had fallen ill or not."

She dismissed rumors about a certain "dangerous" level of antibodies, when vaccination is not advised.

She said: "COVID patients are being treated with donor plasma, boosting the number of protective antibodies to speed up recovery. Therefore, there have been no evidence supporting this theory."

She said: "The same applies to the theory of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of the infection, according to which a virus can find its way into a cell quicker when it merges with antibodies. Again, the success of plasma therapy proves this is not possible for the time being."

Source: tass
Image source: tass

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”