Vaccines are reportedly not as effective in protecting senior citizens from getting the novel coronavirus in comparison to people from different age groups, according to researchers by the Technion Institute of Technology.
Their research states that the cell memory B lymphocytes are not strong enough within the elderly population, which are relied upon to produce antibodies - thus improving the immune system, according to the press release published on Tuesday.
Weaker memory B lymphocytes result in COVID-19 being a larger threat within the elderly.
According to the Technion researchers, existing memory B lymphocytes prevent the production of new ones over time.
They concluded that the human immune system would grow accustomed to responding to pathogens that are familiar to it. On the other hand, this would also cause the immune system to weaken in combating new diseases. This whole process then causes vaccines to be less effective to protect senior citizens.
Technion researchers had reportedly wanted to revitalize the immune system. They discovered that removing a certain amount of older memory B lymphocytes within elderly patients found their immune system to improve immensely with their body able to produce more new high potent B lymphocytes.