According to the latest data, the Pfizer vaccine has proven to be less effective in obese people. New research carried on by Italian researchers has shown that healthcare workers had produced only half the required antibodies in comparison to healthy people.
The new findings can also be attributed to the pre-existing medical conditions that obese people already have, for instance, heart disease or type 2 diabetes. The latest study studied the antibody response of two doses of the Pfizer vaccine in 247 healthcare workers.
The study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, provides the first direct evidence to suggest a similar problem might occur with Covid-19 vaccines.
“Since obesity is a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality for patients with Covid-19, it is mandatory to plan an efficient vaccination program in this subgroup,” the research report said.
It further added, “Although further studies are needed, this data may have important implications to the development of vaccination strategies for Covid-19, particularly in obese people.”
The research has highlighted the challenges of vaccinating and protecting an obese population against the deadly COVID-19 virus, especially when the world is already grappling with the effects of the virus’s second wave.
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