Why in News:

• Two doses of Covishield vaccine produced more antibodies than Covaxin doses, but there were relatively fewer instances of ‘breakthrough infections’ after the latter, reports a study of healthcare workers (HCW) in India.

What are antibodies?

• Antibody, also called immunoglobulin, is a protective protein produced by the immune system in response to the presence of a foreign substance, called an antigen.
• Antibodies recognize and latch onto antigens in order to remove them from the body.
• A wide range of substances are regarded by the body as antigens, including disease-causing organisms and toxic materials such as insect venom.

Breakthrough infection

• A breakthrough infection is a case of illness in which a vaccinated individual becomes sick from the same illness that the vaccine is meant to prevent. Simply, they occur when vaccines fail to provide immunity against the pathogen they are designed to target.

Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/coronavirus-covishield-produces-more-anti-bodies-than-covaxin-says-study/article34745262.ece