COVID-19 mRNA vaccine induced antibody responses against three SARS-CoV-2 variants

As SARS-CoV-2 has been circulating for over a year, dozens of vaccine candidates are under development or in clinical use. The BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine induces spike protein-specific neutralizing antibodies associated with protective immunity. The emergence of the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants has raised concerns of reduced vaccine efficacy and increased re-infection rates. Here we show, that after the second dose, the sera of BNT162b2-vaccinated health care workers (n=180) effectively neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 variant with the D614G substitution and the B.1.1.7 variant, whereas the neutralization of the B.1.351 variant is five-fold reduced. Despite the reduction, 92% of the seronegative vaccinees have a neutralization titre of >20 for the B.1.351 variant indicating some protection. The vaccinees' neutralization titres exceeded those of recovered non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Our work provides evidence that the second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine induces cross-neutralization of at least some of the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants contain mutations in the spike protein that may affect vaccine efficacy. Here, Jalkanen et al. show, using sera from 180 BNT162b2-vaccinated health care workers, that neutralization of SARS-CoV2 variant B.1.1.7 is not affected, while neutralization of B.1.351 variant is five-fold reduced.Peer reviewe

COVID-19 mRNA vaccine induced antibody responses against three SARS-CoV-2 variants

As SARS-CoV-2 has been circulating for over a year, dozens of vaccine candidates are under development or in clinical use. The BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine induces spike protein-specific neutralizing antibodies associated with protective immunity. The emergence of the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants has raised concerns of reduced vaccine efficacy and increased re-infection rates. Here we show, that after the second dose, the sera of BNT162b2-vaccinated health care workers (n = 180) effectively neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 variant with the D614G substitution and the B.1.1.7 variant, whereas the neutralization of the B.1.351 variant is five-fold reduced. Despite the reduction, 92% of the seronegative vaccinees have a neutralization titre of >20 for the B.1.351 variant indicating some protection. The vaccinees’ neutralization titres exceeded those of recovered non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Our work provides evidence that the second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine induces cross-neutralization of at least some of the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants

COVID-19 mRNA vaccine induced antibody responses against three SARS-CoV-2 variants

As SARS-CoV-2 has been circulating for over a year, dozens of vaccine candidates are under development or in clinical use. The BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine induces spike protein-specific neutralizing antibodies associated with protective immunity. The emergence of the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants has raised concerns of reduced vaccine efficacy and increased re-infection rates. Here we show, that after the second dose, the sera of BNT162b2-vaccinated health care workers (n=180) effectively neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 variant with the D614G substitution and the B.1.1.7 variant, whereas the neutralization of the B.1.351 variant is five-fold reduced. Despite the reduction, 92% of the seronegative vaccinees have a neutralization titre of >20 for the B.1.351 variant indicating some protection. The vaccinees' neutralization titres exceeded those of recovered non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Our work provides evidence that the second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine induces cross-neutralization of at least some of the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. Emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants contain mutations in the spike protein that may affect vaccine efficacy. Here, Jalkanen et al. show, using sera from 180 BNT162b2-vaccinated health care workers, that neutralization of SARS-CoV2 variant B.1.1.7 is not affected, while neutralization of B.1.351 variant is five-fold reduced.</p

Täydennyskoulutustarpeet ja täydennyskoulutuksen merkitys uransa alussa olevien sosiaali-, terveys- ja kuntoutusalan ammattikorkeakouluopettajien osaamiselle

Abstract Up-to-date competences of educators in the social, health care and rehabilitation sector in universities of applied sciences are crucial for top-quality education. The purpose of this research was to describe the needs and meanings of continuing education for teachers starting their career. This study is a part of a national TerOpe project. The method of data collection was a theme interview. The interviews were arranged to four teacher groups consisting of 2—5 people. The people interviewed (n=14) were educators of nursing, fysiotherapy and social work on three universities of applied sciences located in different parts of Finland. The data were analysed with inductive content analysis. Those teachers who had less than five years of teacher experience wanted to have further education which answered to individual learning needs, were useful, included collegial interaction and were of high-quality pedagogically. Teachers also felt they need possibilities for development of their work organized by their employer, such as job orientation, supervision and mentoring. Teachers felt that they need to develop their own work, co-operation competence and they need personal professional development, and development of teaching competence and digital competence. The meaning of further education for teachers was diverse ways of gaining of professional knowledge and improvement on personal working abilities. The results can be used for the design and development of continuing education for social and health care teachers in the beginning of their career in universities of applied sciences.Tiivistelmä Sosiaali-, terveys- ja kuntoutusalan ammattikorkeakouluopettajien ajantasainen osaaminen on edellytys laadukkaalle koulutukselle. Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli kuvata uransa alussa olevien sosiaali-, terveys- ja kuntoutusalan opettajien täydennyskoulutustarpeita sekä täydennyskoulutuksen merkitystä heidän osaamiselleen. Tutkimus on osa valtakunnallista TerOpe hanketta. Aineistonkeruumenetelmänä oli teemahaastattelu. Haastattelut toteutettiin neljälle 2—5 hengen opettajaryhmälle. Haastateltavat (n=14) olivat hoitotyön, fysioterapian ja sosionomin koulutusohjelmien opettajia kolmesta eri ammattikorkeakoulusta eri puolilta Suomea. Aineisto analysoitiin induktiivisella sisällönanalyysilla. Alle viisi vuotta opettajana toimineet haastateltavat toivoivat tarvetta vastaavaa täydennyskoulutusta, joka on itselle hyödyllistä, sisältää kollegiaalista vuorovaikutusta ja on pedagogisesti laadukasta. Opettajat kokivat tarvitsevansa työnantajan tarjoamia työssä kehittymisen mahdollisuuksia kuten perehdytystä, työnohjausta ja mentorointia. Opettajana kehittymiseen he arvioivat tarvitsevansa oman työn ja yhteistyöosaamisen kehittämistä, henkilökohtaista ammatillista kasvua sekä opetusosaamisen ja digiosaamisen kehittymistä. Täydennyskoulutus merkitsi uransa alussa olevien opettajien osaamiselle ammattitaidon kehittymistä ja henkilökohtaisten työskentelyvalmiuksien vahvistumista. Tuloksia voidaan hyödyntää uransa alussa olevien ammattikorkeakouluopettajien ammatillisen kehittymisen ja täydennyskoulutuksen suunnittelussa ja kehittämisessä