T-cell immunity key factor in reducing Covid-19 immunity: study

A new study says that Covid-19 vaccines should elicit a broad immune response that includes antibodies, and the body's helper and killer T cells, in order to be effective.

The research, published in the journal Cell, confirms that a multi-layered, virus-specific immune response is important for controlling the novel coronavirus during the acute phase of the infection and reducing its disease severity.

A senior author from the study explains that as people age, the immune system's supply of deployable immature T cells dwindles, with fewer cells available to be activated to respond to a new virus, which looks to be one factor making older people drastically more susceptible to severe or fatal Covid-19.'

The scientists believe T cells, and helper T cells in particular, are associated with better protective immune responses.