Assessment of Neutralizing Antibodies Against COVID-19: The Impact of Vaccination in Western Rajasthan

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a major public health disaster, wreaking havoc on people's finances, physical health, and emotional well-being. However, many cases go undetected because they are asymptomatic. The purpose of the study is to identify neutralizing antibodies against COVID-19 in Western Rajasthan, India before and after three months of vaccination among the study participants. The study collected blood samples from unvaccinated individuals willing to participate at a vaccination center between September 2021 and December 2021. Those on immunosuppressants or already vaccinated with a COVID-19 dose were excluded. Blood group and neutralizing antibody levels were determined using standard protocols. Statistical analysis was conducted to assess correlations between demographic and clinical features with neutralizing antibody positivity. The study found a significant increase in neutralizing antibody levels after COVID-19 vaccination for both Covishield and Covaxin recipients, as well as those previously vaccinated with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), highlighting the vaccines' effectiveness in boosting immunity. The results underscore the importance of COVID-19 vaccination in enhancing immune response in individuals with prior infection. Covishield produces higher vaccine-induced IgG antibodies than Covaxin. BCG-vaccinated individuals show higher COVID-19 neutralizing antibodies post-vaccination.