Overview

• Vaccinated individuals infected with Delta or Omicron generated higher overall antibody levels than unvaccinated counterparts.
• Vaccination led to a slight reduction in antibodies targeting mutated epitopes without compromising broad protective responses.
• Researchers attribute this pattern to antigenic imprinting but note its impact on SARS-CoV-2 immunity is minimal.
• Participants with no prior immunity mounted weak responses against variant-specific mutations, underscoring the priming effect of initial vaccination.
• Findings offer a roadmap for tailoring booster composition and schedules by pinpointing viral regions that drive immune evasion.