Antibodies after COVID-19 infection gives short-term coronavirus protection: Study

As several nations across the globe are months into the COVID-19 vaccination programme, a new study has revealed that the people who test positive for antibodies against the novel coronavirus after contracting the infection may have protection against reinfection for at least a few months. The research by the National Institutes of Health published on February 24 determined the conclusion after analysing at least 3 million antibody test results that are also known as serology tests from at least five commercial labs and two health care data analytics companies between January and August of 2020.

The NIH researchers have found out that people with positive antibody tests were only about one-tenth as likely as those who didn’t have antibodies to test positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19 even 90 days after their initial antibody test. However, after 90 days, a positive test is likely represents a new COVID-19 infection instead of viral shedding from the original infection. 

“The data from this study suggest that people who have a positive result from a commercial antibody test appear to have substantial immunity to SARS-CoV-2, which means they may be at lower risk for future infection,” said Lynne Penberthy, M.D., M.P.H., associate director of NCI’s Surveillance Research Program, who led the study.

"Additional research is needed to understand how long this protection lasts, who may have limited protection, and how patient characteristics, such as comorbid conditions, may impact protection. We are nevertheless encouraged by this early finding,” he added. 

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Study Reveals Not All COVID-19 Patients Have Enough Antibodies

Meanwhile, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has become a co-author of a COVID-19 study in which he joined researchers to track the virus infection in 4,000 workers who came forward as volunteers. According to the Wall Street Journal, the study was conducted last year and it suggests that only a certain threshold of antibodies may provide people lasting protection against coronavirus.

To monitor the prevalence of the virus among the volunteers, Musk and SpaceX’s top medical executive worked with doctors and academic researchers to build an antibody-testing programme. Over 4,000 SpaceX workers volunteered for monthly blood tests. The study found that people who experienced fewer, milder COVID-19 symptoms generated fewer antibodies and were, therefore, less likely to meet the threshold for longer-term immunity. 

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