Vaccination against COVID-19 is a crucial part in the fight against the pandemic. Currently, there are different vaccines in this fight, but they all have a common mechanism of action.

The vaccine activates the production of specific immunoglobulins against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Vaccines create antibodies against the Spike protein.

But how the effectiveness of a  vaccine is determined? Through the antibodies produced by it. Vaccines stimulate responses that result in the production of both T lymphocytes (cellular immunity) and B lymphocytes (humoral immunity). The latter have the function of producing antibodies (IgM and IgG).

Available antibody tests identify antibodies in the blood that is produced against the protein N of the nucleocapsid of the virus and, some of them, the protein S of the spicules. Therefore, rapid antibody tests can help us to know the immune status before and after vaccination:

  • Determining the immune response after being exposed to a coronavirus infection.
  • Determining the immune response of a vaccinated person.

Biomedal has rapid quantitative antibody tests according to the Time-Resolved Fluorescence (TRF) method against SARS-CoV-2 capable of detecting IgG, ideal for verifying the level of immunity produced by the vaccination.

In collaboration with Lab-Sur laboratory, we made a trial with a group of people from a nursing home. In this way, 100 people were tested 14 days after the second dose of the vaccine. For that purpose, we used rapid antibody tests. The results were positive for IgG antibodies in all the people vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

As a result, ,  the effectiveness of the vaccine  to generate antibodies was verified,  furthermore that the rapid antibody test has a high sensitivity as it detected the IgG generated by the immune system after vaccination. In this way, we could say that it is an effective method to determine immunization to the virus in a simple way and this is a great hope for the protection of vulnerable advanced age groups. 

We could conclude that rapid antibody detection tests after vaccination can be essential tests to determine if the desired protective immune response has been generated. In addition, periodic controls will be also necessary to verify that immunity is maintained, since the duration of the effect of the vaccines is not certainty known.