London – Most people have had that COVID-19 have some immunity to re-capture for at least five months, according to a study by Public Health England. The UK Health Service study found that someone who is infected is 83% less likely than someone with no previous infection to get the coronavirus again over a five-month period.
However, the researchers noted that someone who is infected may still be able to carry the virus and pass it on to others, even if they stop getting sick.
The period of partial immunity starts from when someone first gets sick, according to the study.
The data comes from months of regular testing of health professionals, both for active infections and for antibodies indicating previous infection, conducted by Public Health England in the UK since June.
The agency cautioned that the findings suggest people got that sick with COVID-19 during the first wave of the spring pandemic may now be vulnerable to catching it again. It also warned that even if people who were already sick could be protected themselves, preliminary data from the next phase of the study showed that they can still carry high levels of the virus and still have social distance and wear masks to avoid infecting others.
“This study has given us the clearest picture yet of the nature of antibody protection against COVID-19, but it is critical that people do not misunderstand these early findings,” said Professor Susan Hopkins, senior medical advisor at Public Health England. , in a statement. .
“We now know that most of those who have had the virus and developed antibodies are protected from reinfection, but this is not complete and we do not yet know how long the protection lasts. Crucially, we think people can still do it. pass through the virus. “
“Now more than ever, it is vital that we all stay at home to protect our healthcare and save lives,” Hopkins emphasizes.
Scientists will continue to follow the people involved in the study for a year to see how long immunity lasts, how effective the vaccines are, and to confirm whether people who have had the virus can still pass it on to others.
They will also try to determine if a previous infection with COVID-19 can protect someone from getting sick with the disease new, highly contagious variety of the virus that emerged in southern England late last year.