A new study has revealed that immunity lasts for at least several months after being infected with Covid-19.
Researchers at the University of Arizona Health Sciences conducted the study with help from nearly 6,000 participants.
The paper, named “Orthogonal SARS-CoV-2 Serological Assays Enable Surveillance of Low Prevalence Communities and Reveal Durable Humoral Immunity,” was published in the journal Immunity on Tuesday.
It states that when a virus first infects cells, the immune system deploys short-lived plasma cells that produce antibodies to immediately fight the virus. Those antibodies appear in blood tests within 14 days of infection.
The second stage of the immune response is the creation of long-lived plasma cells, which produce high-quality antibodies that provide lasting immunity.
"Whether antibodies provide lasting protection against SARS-CoV-2 has been one of the most difficult questions to answer," said UArizona Health Sciences Senior Vice President Michael D Dake, MD, who is a co-author on the paper.
"This research not only has given us the ability to accurately test for antibodies against Covid-19, but also has armed us with the knowledge that lasting immunity is a reality."
Previous findings inferred the production of antibodies from initial infections and suggested that levels of antibodies drop rapidly after infection, providing short-term immunity only.
Dr Bhattacharya, PhD, associate professor, UArizona College of Medicine—Tucson, Department of Immunobiology, said such conclusions centered on short-lived plasma cells and that long-lived plasma cells and the high-affinity antibodies they generate were not taken into account.
