Man sees no adverse effects from 217 COVID vaccine shots: study
- German man got 217 doses of coronavirus vaccines in 29 months
- High number of vaccines did not lead to 'adverse' events: Study
- Still, scientists say they don't endorse 'hypervaccination' against COVID
FILE – A sign for flu and covid vaccinations is displayed at a pharmacy store in Palatine, Ill., Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
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(NewsNation) — A 62-year-old German man who deliberately got over 200 shots of the coronavirus vaccine in 29 months did not see negative results, researchers said in a study published Monday.
Not only did the man, identified as HIM, not suffer any side effects from his vaccinations, researchers said in the scientific journal Lancet Infectious Disease, but getting 217 vaccines did not affect how well they worked: His number of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 increased significantly. Some scientists had initially believed immune cells would become less effective after becoming used to the antigens.
Researchers at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen learned about HIM’s case through newspaper reports. Evidence for HIM getting 130 vaccinations in a nine-month period was collected by Madgeburg’s public prosecutor. The prosecutor opened an investigation into fraud allegations but criminal charges were ultimately not filed.
HIM underwent tests, provided the scientists with medical information and donated blood and saliva samples.
From Nov. 2019 to Oct. 2023, 62 routine clinical chemistry parameters showed no abnormalities attributable to what experts call “hypervaccination.” Multiple negative COVID antigen, PCR and nucleocapsid serology showed HIM had no signs of a past SARS-CoV-2 infection infection, either.
“Our test case was vaccinated with a total of eight different vaccines, including different available mRNA vaccines,” one of the study authors, Dr. Kilian Schober, said in a statement. “The observation that no noticeable side effects were triggered in spite of this extraordinary hypervaccination indicates that the drugs have a good degree of tolerability.”
However, he stressed that this is one “individual” case, and far-reaching conclusions or recommendations for the general public cannot necessarily be gleaned from it.
Scientists said in the study that “hypervaccination” is not necessary or suggested by medical professionals.
At least 60 million people in Germany have been vaccinated from COVID.
Current U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations state everyone aged 5 years and older should get one dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19.
Last month, the CDC said older U.S. adults should get another COVID-19 shot even if they got a booster in the fall.