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Immunity after a coronavirus infection could protect people from a serious new disease for years. This is according to findings from a California research group in a new study.
Researchers at the La Jolla Institute of Immunology examined 185 convalescents after Covide-19. They found that eight months after infection, the former patients still had enough immune cells to suppress the virus.
Study author Shane Crotty told The New York Times: “This level of memory cells is likely to protect the vast majority of people from serious illness for many years.”
“It is also immunity” virologist Ulf Dittmer explained to the German media. “When you don’t get sick from the second infection.” The immune system therefore does not completely prevent infection, but ensures that the virus is controlled in such a way that it no longer causes disease.
However, it should be noted that the study has so far only been published on the so-called prepress servers; for evaluation by independent scientists is still pending.
Several indications of stable coronavirus immunity
However, the study isn’t the first to suggest long-term immunity. US researchers found evidence of stable immunity as early as mid-August. Researchers at the University of Washington looked at the immune memory level in patients with Sars-CoV-2, who showed few or mild symptoms.
They analyzed not only a series of antibodies, but also B and T memory cells. Both are also part of the immune system and are maintained not only after infection. Researchers say that in some cases they even increased again in the following months. This study was also published on a prepress server.
Immunity is important for vaccine development
The duration of immunity also plays a role in vaccine development. The study results hope that high-potency vaccines, such as those from Biontech / Pfizer or Moderna, can immunize humans for some time. Vaccines could be very helpful in stopping the spread of the virus.
Experts aren’t surprised by the study’s results. Yale University immunologist Akiko Iwasaki told the New York Times that the immune system did not respond to Sars-CoV-2 infection differently from other pathogens. This is “what should happen”. However, he thinks the results are “exciting news”.
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