This Individual Received 217 COVID-19 Vaccinations and Remains in Perfect Health
A man from Germany seems to be in good health despite allegedly receiving over 200 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. In a recent study, scientists examined the man's blood and saliva and found no evidence that the "hypervaccination" he underwent negatively impacted his immune response to COVID-19 or his overall health. In fact, the repeated injections may have made the man less susceptible to COVID-19 infection, although it is not advisable for others to follow his example.
The man's vaccine-related activities were initially reported by German authorities in the spring of 2022. In March of that year, he was caught receiving a COVID-19 shot at the same vaccination center in Saxony twice within two days. At the time, authorities alleged that the man, a 60-year-old resident of Magdeburg, was obtaining extra shots to obtain legitimate information (such as vaccine batch numbers) for fake vaccination cards, which he would then sell to individuals unwilling to get vaccinated themselves.
Local prosecutors launched an investigation into the man for alleged fraud, but ultimately chose not to press charges. Researchers at the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg and the University Hospital Erlangen caught wind of his story through news reports and reached out to him to request participation in their study. The man agreed, and their findings were published this week in the journal Lancet Infectious Diseases.
The researchers determined that the man had received at least 130 COVID-19 vaccinations over a nine-month period. They found documentation for 108 shots, some of which overlapped with those found by authorities. However, the man claimed to have received a total of 217 vaccinations over a 29-month period. These vaccinations were obtained from various types of vaccines, with the majority being mRNA vaccines.
The man underwent several blood tests during this time period and granted the researchers access to his medical records and stored samples, as well as allowing them to collect new blood and saliva samples. Additionally, he received two more vaccinations during the course of the study to monitor his immune response.
Throughout the study, the man reported no vaccine-related side effects. When the researchers compared his samples to controls (individuals who had received three mRNA doses), they found no apparent negative effects from his numerous vaccinations and possibly even some positive ones.
The team found no evidence of impaired immune response to other germs in the man, and his antibody and T-cell levels specific to the COVID-19 spike protein were higher than those of the controls, sometimes significantly so. Only the man appeared to have antibodies against the spike protein lingering in his saliva. Moreover, the team found that the man still experienced a modest boost in immunity after his 217th shot, which challenges the theory that repeated vaccinations against COVID-19 within a short timeframe might weaken an individual's response to the latest vaccine.
Perhaps most intriguingly, the man has never tested positive for COVID-19, with all 24 tests taken over the years coming back negative so far.
"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," said study author Kilian Schober in a statement from the university.
The authors stress that they cannot definitively prove that the man's continued COVID-19-free status is a direct result of his unusual habit. They also note that this is just a single case, and vaccines can cause rare but sometimes severe complications, despite the fact that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination vastly outweigh the possible risks.
Fortunately, there is ample evidence that fewer than 217 doses are necessary to gain those benefits.
"Current research indicates that a three-dose vaccination, coupled with regular top-up vaccines for vulnerable groups, remains the favored approach. There is no indication that more vaccines are required," said Schober.
The man's unique vaccine history has sparked interest in the potential of technology and science to enhance future health measures. The findings from the study suggest that repeated mRNA vaccinations might not negatively impact an individual's overall health or immune response to COVID-19.
