German researchers have examined a “hypervaccinated” man they say received more than 200 coronavirus shots without any noticeable side effects or harm to his immune system. The man agreed to provide blood samples, including new samples, the results from past blood tests and blood samples that had been frozen in recent years.
Going into the study, the researchers had speculated that having so many shots could cause his immune system to become fatigued. Vaccines create immune memory cells that are on standby, ready to rapidly activate the body’s defenses in the event of an infection.
But in fact, the researchers found that the man had more of these immune cells — known as T-cells — than a control group that had received the standard three-dose vaccine regimen. They also did not detect any fatigue in these cells, which they said were just as effective as those of people who had received a typical number of coronavirus shots.
“Overall, we did not find any indication for a weaker immune response, rather the contrary,” said Katharina Kocher, one of the lead authors of the study.
Even by the 217th vaccination, researchers say the shot still had an effect: The man’s antibodies against the coronavirus “increased significantly as a result.” (Researchers say the man insisted on receiving another shot during the study. They took blood samples, which helped them determine how his immune system was responding.)
The researchers made it clear that despite their findings, they “do not endorse hypervaccination as a strategy to enhance adaptive immunity.”
The man said he had received 217 vaccinations for “private reasons.”
