The authors of the Oxford study say their results could be encouraging if the immune responses are found to be associated with protection against the coronavirus infection. The coronavirus vaccine developed by Oxford University produces a strong immune response in older adults, data from early trials has shown. British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca, which is working in collaboration with the University of Oxford, has previously said interim data showed their experimental vaccine had produced an immune response in older and younger adults. Dr Angela Minassian, an investigator at the University of Oxford and honorary consultant in infectious diseases, said: "Inducing robust immune responses in older adults has been a long-standing challenge in human vaccine research. "To show this vaccine technology is able to induce these responses, in the age group most at risk from severe COVID-19 disease, offers hope that vaccine efficacy will be similar in younger and older adults.

Source: The Standard November 19, 2020 07:07 UTC