UK study: antibodies last 6 months after infection

A UK biomedical research body said on Wednesday that COVID-19 antibodies stay in the system for six months after infection, according to a new study.

UK Biobank studied the blood of over 20,000 participants who had recovered from coronavrius, and found that 99% retained antibodies to the virus for three months post-infection and 88% did so for six months.

Speaking to UK broadcaster ITN, UK Biobank's chief scientist Professor Naomi Allen called the results of the study good news.

Allen said she suspects the transmission of the virus among those who have antibodies following a natural infection would likely be reduced - as the preliminary findings of the AstraZeneca vaccine study have indicated.

However, she added, "the honest answer is we don't really know that for sure."

The study showed that younger people - 13.5% among those under 30 - had the most detectable antibodies than older people - 6.7% among those over 70.

The most common symptom associated with having coronavirus antibodies was a loss of sense of taste and smell, which was reported by 43% of sero-positive participants.

Around one quarter (24%) of sero-positive participants were completely asymptomatic, and 40% did not have one of the three classic COVID-19 symptoms - fever, persistent dry cough or loss of sense of taste or smell.

The UK currently has 3,882,972 reported cases of the coronavirus and 109,547 COVID-related deaths.

(Image Credit: AP)