The majority of those who have been infected with coronavirus have protective antibodies in their bodies for at least nine months after being diagnosed with the infection, a Swedish study shows.
The risk of becoming infected again also turned out to be extremely low, SVT reports.
Danderyd Hospital and Karolinska Institutet started the study in the spring of last year and have focused on long-term immunity among health professionals.
In the third phase of the study, the researchers could see that 96% of the 370 participants had antibodies in the spring. After nine months, they still had protective antibodies.
“If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, then I think you can be last in the vaccine queue and let others who need the vaccine more take it,” researcher Charlotte Thålin said.
“Very good news”
The researchers tested the participants for any new infection after being infected for the first time. They were tested once a week for ten weeks.
Less than 1% had the virus in their body during this period, which indicates that the risk of becoming infected again is low.
The researchers had expected that more people with antibodies would carry the virus but without any symptoms.
“This is very good news. The antibodies seem to work well. They protect you from getting sick, but also from getting infected and spreading it further,” Thålin added.
The next phase of the study will be carried out in May, as many of the participants are expected to be vaccinated. The researchers will then compare the immune system after natural infection and after vaccination.
Source: © NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today / #NorwayTodayNews
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