A study has found that vaccinating against Covid-19 produced significantly higher levels of antibodies than natural infection immunity, according to the University of Nicosia.

The study included a sample of 591 people aged between 18 and 87 from across the Republic who did not fall ill and did not vaccinate, people who contracted the virus and did not get vaccinated, people who vaccinated and did not get ill, and people who fell ill and vaccinated.

“The results show a significant difference in the antibody levels produced by natural infection and vaccination,” the report said. “Vaccinating with any one of the approved vaccines in Cyprus leads to the production of significantly higher levels of antibodies than natural infection and potentially to higher humoral immunity (antibody-mediated immunity).”

The study also found that vaccinating after having the virus resulted in the production of “exceptionally high antibody levels in these individuals, which shows the importance of vaccinating people who have fallen ill in the past.”

Comparing the antibodies of people who fell ill but had not vaccinated and people who did not get the virus but got the vaccine, showed that even one dose produced more antibodies, the study said.

According to the university, the individuals in the study were “blindly” recruited volunteers who were undergoing routine testing at the Yiannoukas labs.

The study is divided into two parts.

The first part includes data on the antibody levels in the population and the second will evaluate cell-mediated immunity.