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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsResearch suggests COVID-19 antibodies may only last a few months or even just weeks
Among the many lingering questions about the coronavirus, one of the most crucial is: How long do antibodies last?
With some diseases, like measles and hepatitis A, infection is a one-and-done deal. Once you get sick and recover, you're immune for life.
"For human coronaviruses, that's not the case," Florian Krammer, a vaccinologist at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, told Business Insider. "You can get repeatedly infected once your immunity goes down."
Increasingly, research is starting to coalesce around an unfortunate picture of COVID-19 immunity: People who develop antibodies might not keep them for very long.
Last month, a study showed that antibodies may last only two to three months. Then research published Monday suggested that antibodies could last only three to five weeks in some patients.
https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-antibodies-last-just-months-2020-7
Nevilledog
(51,201 posts)LisaL
(44,974 posts)Are we going to have to be vaccinated every three weeks? I don't think that's realistic.
Drunken Irishman
(34,857 posts)LisaL
(44,974 posts)Even flu vaccine is once a year.
Once every few month is not a good solution, obviously.
Drunken Irishman
(34,857 posts)Of course, that's if it is affordable.
Ideally, the US would buy the vaccine and give it out for free/minimal cost, right?
Buckeye_Democrat
(14,858 posts)It would need to be very coordinated, though, and that's never going to happen with Trump!
Even the concept of "herd immunity" doesn't mean that EVERYONE has immunity. It just means that there's enough people immune so that the virus has fewer opportunities for new infections and replications in a host. Without new hosts, it's quashed.
tanyev
(42,623 posts)Fortunately, my Hamilton masks just arrived!
LisaL
(44,974 posts)tanyev
(42,623 posts)Blue_true
(31,261 posts)I have found that cloth masks that have nose pressers are supper comfortable and can be worn a long time in a single setting.
Calculating
(2,957 posts)A vaccine certainly won't work in such a case. I guess it's just the end of the world as we know it? People aren't going to just accept wearing masks for the rest of their lives. A year or so if there's light at the end of the tunnel, sure, but ultimately people need to live life again. I see why so many people are just taking their chances and hoping this virus doesn't hit them hard or leave permanent damage. There's no way we can ever go back to normal if COVID-19 is going to just become another cold with no lasting immunity or vaccine. Eventually I suppose it will just kill off everyone genetically vulnerable to it, and leave those who are resistant to it.
lostnfound
(16,191 posts)Genetic resistance at 40 or 50 may not persist at 70 or 80
SunSeeker
(51,726 posts)Calculating
(2,957 posts)Eventually those who are genetically vulnerable to COVID will die, and those with genetic resistance will live and carry on their genes. Same as what happened with other plagues throughout history. Social distancing and masks for the rest of our lives just isn't gonna fly with people. Covid isn't likely to be the end of humans, but it could very well be the end of the world as we know it unless we can make a vaccine.
SunSeeker
(51,726 posts)Last edited Fri Jul 10, 2020, 01:42 PM - Edit history (1)
Only Republicans would rather let people die than wear masks. They are not the majority of Americans.
marmar
(77,091 posts)Your immunity to the virus isn't solely tied to antibodies
There's one other reason that the findings about antibody levels dropping shouldn't cause excessive concern: Your immunity doesn't just depend on these proteins.
White blood cells also have an impressive immunological memory that can help your body identify and attack the invading virus should it ever return. T cells can destroy infected cells, and B cells work to produce new antibodies. ......
Cracklin Charlie
(12,904 posts)This could be promising news regarding Covid immunity.
FBaggins
(26,760 posts)If this were generally true... wouldnt we expect more than a handful of stories of people tasting positive a month or two after recovery?
Tanuki
(14,922 posts)There are some good links here about T-cells and other potential factors.
https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/07/07/more-on-t-cells-antibody-levels-and-our-ignorance
SouthernCal_Dem
(852 posts)Thekaspervote
(32,796 posts)It is of the same family that causes the common cold.
Having said that, Im not saying dont be careful! Or think that its going to magically go away anytime soon. Just reading peer reviewed literature along with the history of viral outbreaks
Heres just one of many links
https://www.westernmassnews.com/news/could-covid-19-weaken-over-time-local-microbiologist-weighs-in/article_dffaa0ea-a9c7-11ea-936b-f3747ca78635.html
There are also studies coming out of Italy and the UK that seem to say the same thing
LisaL
(44,974 posts)In many states, cases are going up, hospitalizations are going up. And deaths are starting to go up too. Instead of peer-reviewed papers, I am going to believe what is actually occurring in this country, and I fail to see any signs of it weakening.