Thread by @sailorrooscout

Let’s talk about immunity and why it’s important to take certain factors into consideration when we look at these studies and maybe why the most recent one on AstraZeneca’s effectiveness on the B.1.351 is a tad bit bothersome. For starters this beauty wasn’t tweeted initially.

See that last bullet point? The one of T-cell immunity. Yeah, that’s vital. Why? The study failed to discuss this aspect. You cannot disregard T-cells in the same breath you are discussing B-cells, vaccines and their respective induced antibody responses. It’s a package deal.

T-cells help protect against severe disease. Their analysis shows 76 out of 87 TCB sites (87%) are NOT impacted by the mutations seen in B.1.351. What does this mean? It means the T-cell response generated by AstraZeneca’s vaccine should be highly effective against this variant.

How are you going to disregard our actual immune systems and their ability to make antibodies for later?
Which may I remind you are DRIVEN by vaccines. They teach our bodies to make antibodies for later, not just during active infection (memory T-cells anyone). That’s immunity!

T-cells stimulate B-cells to make antibodies. Antibodies are just your first line of defense which is what is initiated when you get this vaccine. It’s our T-cells that are responsible for long-term immunity. When antibodies diminish after your initial inoculation, your T-cells-

will tell your B-cells it’s time to produce more antibodies. As long as your T-cells still recognize this virus and inform your B-cells they need to produce antibodies, the vaccine is still doing its job. Antibodies being built up over and over again is nothing new or unique-

to this vaccine, this is how vaccines have always worked. This study does not account for this information concerning T-cell immunity at all and then leaves this last bit til the end of the presentation (go figure). Just a heads up, your TCRs and your BCRs target different parts

of the Coronavirus’ spike protein.
Antibodies can prevent infection, your T cell-responses ensure that those antibodies keep doing their job and they kick in after you're infected OR oh my goodness stop the presses- VACCINATED (how about them apples).

In other words, while robust T-cells responses cannot protect you from a mild or moderate infection sometimes (think cough, sniffles, etc.) they can however proliferate rapidly and prevent the build up of viral load. Psst- you want this to be LOW. VL drives disease severity.

So why am I bothered? Because we have half-baked self-proclaimed (excuse my rudeness) experts stating this vaccine is now 10% effective and instilling panic. I’m here to tell you that is FALSE. So, yes, you and your loved ones who received this vaccine? You’re still protected!

Realize this last comment was towards no one specific. I had heard that numerous media outlets were claiming the “10%.” I wasn’t even sure who had presented initially. I was told this was a leaked screen by FT that had to be presented after the fact. My explanation still stands.

So from what I am being told this morning, South Africa is resuming administering doses of AstraZeneca and lifted their halt, but continuing to study its efficacy closely.

Let me reiterate once more, my comments are towards no one specific, including the original presenter. I said “experts” as in plural. This was a broad statement as several media outlets & “experts” were reporting the “10%” efficacy misinformation. My science still stands.

I wanted to add/adjust my statement earlier concerning South Africa resuming rollout of AstraZeneca’s vaccines. They are administering 100,000 doses and then monitoring in a “stepped manner.” Remember, based on what I discussed above, you are still protected if you received it.