Thread by @DrCindyMDuke

As a T-cell specialized vaccine immunologist/biologist/virologist, I feel 😩watching ppl over emphasize neutralizing antibodies’ role.
They’re doing the very thing viral vaccine immunologists know not to do!! T-cells do the heavy lifting here + more is needed. It’s not this/or 🧵

Using neutralizing Abs to define effectiveness is 😩

This over reliance & emphasis on describing adaptive immune function as primarily neutralizing is partly why ppl are now just throwing caution to the wind & no longer willing to even believe we know how to combat this virus.

From antivaxxer to CDC/NAAID & media, they all confuse the situation with their neutralizing antibody overemphasis.

In fact, this neutralizing antibody overemphasis is now undermining even vaccine confidence & feeding vaccine/booster hesitancy because everyone feels confused.

Whether infection or vaccine, the immunity generated goes BEYOND neutralizing antibody or B cells. Yet, I suspect ppl talk about these because it’s simpler to explain than the multitude of short peptides that give the true clonal repertoire of T cells that clear the infection.

Curbing virus’ ability to “go viral” is multi-pronged & includes MORE than neutralizing antibodies. In fact, that’s a small part of EVERYTHING needed. Let’s not get 1 tracked now. Things necessary to fight the pandemic remain unchanged but our messaging is getting too narrowed!

Needs
👍🏾 decrease exposure to virus: physical distancing, contact tracing, frequent testing!
👍🏾 minimize number of viral particles shed: masks & quarantine!
👍🏾shorten duration of infection/transmission: vaccine & therapeutics!
👍🏾 mitigate spread, if infected: hygiene & isolation!

These vaccines are not designed to primarily neutralize the virus or prevent infection. Vaccines against viruses aren’t really ever designed w/ that intent. Yet, most everyone is trying to distill the science down to “neutralization” & hence why so many ppl are confused …flawed!