Covid-19 immunity: If you have had coronavirus, are you immune?
The Covid-19 immunity study: if you have had coronavirus, are you immune?
The first long-lead study on coronavirus immunity has been released today, from researchers at King’s College London.
The experts looked in to the levels of immunity of 90 Covid-19 patients and healthcare workers from Guys and St. Thomas’ NHS Trust – and it was found that immunity may only last for a few months.
Their research found that, at the peak of the patient’s battle with the virus, they mostly had a 60% level of antibodies. However, blood tests found that this level dropped significantly three months after this point. It suggests that immunity antibodies decrease in a big way after a patient’s experience with coronavirus, and as such, that they may not have as much protection against it months on from the initial infection.
Credit: Getty Images
Although the study has not yet been peer-reviewed, it appears to suggest that people who have had coronavirus could be vulnerable to reinfection.
Dr Katie Doores, who led the study, told the Guardian that people who experience worse symptoms of the virus may also have more antibodies.
She said, “People are producing a reasonable antibody response to the virus, but it’s waning over a short period of time and depending on how high your peak is, that determines how long the antibodies are staying.”
MORE: Have you had coronavirus? 9 signs that you may have already caught it
Professor Stuart Neil, who also co-authored the study, told the publication that coronaviruses in general don’t often actually provide much immunity following infection.
He said, “One thing we know about these coronaviruses, is that people can get reinfected fairly often.
“What that must mean is that the protective immunity people generate doesn’t last very long. It looks like Sars-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, might be falling into that pattern as well.”
The World Health Organisation have also stated that there is currently no evidence that people who have had the virus are protected from a second infection, suggesting no Covid-19 immunity is confirmed right now.
The Covid-19 immunity study: if you have had coronavirus, are you immune?
The first long-lead study on coronavirus immunity has been released today, from researchers at King’s College London.
The experts looked in to the levels of immunity of 90 Covid-19 patients and healthcare workers from Guys and St. Thomas’ NHS Trust – and it was found that immunity may only last for a few months.
Their research found that, at the peak of the patient’s battle with the virus, they mostly had a 60% level of antibodies. However, blood tests found that this level dropped significantly three months after this point. It suggests that immunity antibodies decrease in a big way after a patient’s experience with coronavirus, and as such, that they may not have as much protection against it months on from the initial infection.
Credit: Getty Images
Although the study has not yet been peer-reviewed, it appears to suggest that people who have had coronavirus could be vulnerable to reinfection.
Dr Katie Doores, who led the study, told the Guardian that people who experience worse symptoms of the virus may also have more antibodies.
She said, “People are producing a reasonable antibody response to the virus, but it’s waning over a short period of time and depending on how high your peak is, that determines how long the antibodies are staying.”
MORE: Have you had coronavirus? 9 signs that you may have already caught it
Professor Stuart Neil, who also co-authored the study, told the publication that coronaviruses in general don’t often actually provide much immunity following infection.
He said, “One thing we know about these coronaviruses, is that people can get reinfected fairly often.
“What that must mean is that the protective immunity people generate doesn’t last very long. It looks like Sars-Cov-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, might be falling into that pattern as well.”
The World Health Organisation have also stated that there is currently no evidence that people who have had the virus are protected from a second infection, suggesting no Covid-19 immunity is confirmed right now.
I hope it isn't like HIV where it just keeps wearing your immune system down. If so GAME OVER. Basically airborne AIDS.
