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Here’s How Protective Immunity Against Novel Coronavirus May Last For Over Eight Months

The findings, based on analyses of blood samples from 188 COVID-19 patients, suggest that nearly all survivors of the disease have the immune cells necessary to fight re-infection

Here’s How Protective Immunity Against Novel Coronavirus May Last For Over Eight Months
Highlights
  • Researchers measured antibodies, memory B cells, T cells, killer T cells
  • A decline in antibodies is very normal: Researcher
  • The SARS-CoV-2 virus uses its “spike” protein to initiate infection: Expert

COVID-19 survivors may have protective immunity against serious disease from the SARS-CoV-2 virus for months, or even years after the infection, a study suggests. The findings, based on analyses of blood samples from 188 COVID-19 patients, suggest that nearly all survivors of the disease have the immune cells necessary to fight re-infection. “Our data suggest that the immune response is there — and it stays,” Professor Alessandro Sette from La Jolla Institute for Immunology in the US.

Also Read: India Will Be Able To Vaccinate Entire Population Against COVID-19 Soon, Says Health Minister Harsh Vardhan

The researchers measured antibodies, memory B cells, helper T cells and killer T cells — all four components of immune memory — at the same time.

The study, published in the journal Science, helps clarify some concerning data from other institutes, which showed a dramatic drop-off of COVID-fighting antibodies in the months following infection.

Some feared that this decline in antibodies meant that the body wouldn’t be equipped to defend itself against reinfection.

Professor Sette explained that a decline in antibodies is very normal.

Of course, the immune response decreases over time to a certain extent, but that’s normal. That’s what immune responses do. They have a first phase of ramping up, and after that fantastic expansion, eventually the immune response contracts somewhat and gets to a steady state, he noted.

The researchers found that virus-specific antibodies do persist in the bloodstream months after infection. They said the body also has immune cells called memory B cells at the ready, adding that if a person encounters SARS-CoV-2 again, these cells could reactivate and produce antibodies to fight re-infection.

The SARS-CoV-2 virus uses its “spike” protein to initiate infection of human cells, so the researchers looked for memory B cells specific for the SARS-CoV-2 spike.

Also Read: Experts Explain The Objective Behind India’s COVID Vaccine Dry Run

They found that spike-specific memory B cells actually increased in the blood six months after infection.

Covid-19 survivors also had an army of T cells ready to fight reinfection. Memory CD4+ “helper” T cells lingered, ready to trigger an immune response if they saw SARS-CoV-2 again, the researchers said.

Many memory CB8+ “killer” T cells also remained, ready to destroy infected cells and halt a reinfection, they said.

The different parts of the adaptive immune systems work together, so seeing Covid-fighting antibodies, memory B cells, memory CD4+ T cells and memory CD8+ T cells in the blood more than eight months following infection is a good sign. This implies that there’s a good chance people would have protective immunity, at least against serious disease, for that period of time, and probably well beyond that, said LJI Professor Shane Crotty.

However, the researchers cautioned that protective immunity does vary dramatically from person to person. They saw a 100-fold range in the magnitude of immune memory.

People with a weak immune memory may be vulnerable to a case of recurrent Covid-19 in the future, or they may be more likely to infect others, the researchers said.

Also Read: Reopening Of Schools Amid COVID-19: Experts Say It Is Reasonable, Recommend COVID Precautionary Measures

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (WaterSanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollutionwaste managementplastic banmanual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene

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