More than nine in 10 people given the Pfizer or AstraZeneca Covid vaccine develop antibodies after a single dose, a new study suggests.

The findings are based on a study of more than 8,500 people in England and Wales who had antibodies in their blood.

As of Sunday, May 9, 552,391 people had had the first dose of the Covid vaccine in Suffolk and North Essex, with the area among the top five for most vaccinations.

The research, led by researchers from University College London also showed that nearly every single person develops an antibody response after the second jab.

"This is one of the earliest real-world vaccine studies in the UK and it is fantastic news," said Dr Maddie Shrotri, the lead author of the paper containing the findings.

“Over nine out of 10 adults in the UK who had either the Pfizer or AstraZeneca vaccine produced antibodies against the virus within a month of their first shot.

“How well these vaccines work is remarkable, especially given the speed at which they’ve been developed.

“It’s a real feat of science in the face of the most devastating pandemic in a century.”

The study showed that after two to three weeks of having the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine, 89% of people showed antibodies compared to the 66% of those who received the AstraZeneca jab, and after 28 to 34 days after the first dose of either jab, 96% of people had antibodies in their blood.

Antibodies help to fight infection and having antibodies in the blood proves that you have either had the virus or had a vaccine.