During the pandemic, aus of the largest unknown about coronavirus it was as long as people are immune after they catch it and recover. The early indications were that he had to offer some immunity, because if more infections were possible, they would probably be common. But even an extra year in the health crisis, its exact length protection it is not clear.
A recent study in the UK provides more data, suggesting that after a person recovers from COVID-19, the chance of controlling the virus is reduced by at least 83% for at least five months. The study looked at 20,000 health workers, including 6,614 participants who tested positive for antibodies. Compared to those who did not contract COVID, those who did were 83% less likely to be infected again.. Actual protection may be higher than this, as investigators found 44 “possible” reinfections in that group.
The study was not evaluated by colleagues, but you can read the reactions of several experts here at the Science Media Center in the UK and detailed news such as this one from Nature which provides context.
The results of the study are more or less in agreement with previous work, inclusive this study who found health care workers with spike protein antibodies had better protection of 90% for 6 months.
CDC Guidelines state that people who have had COVID in the last three months do not need to be quarantined if exposed again. Sure, this seems like people are immune for three months, but keep clarifying:
The evidence does not indicate the definitive absence of reinfection during this period, only that the risks of potential transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from recovered individuals are likely to outweigh the personal and social benefits of avoiding unnecessary quarantine.
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In other words, it is May to be able to be infected again within three months, but it doesn’t seem likely.
What does this mean if I had COVID?
I have lived through a time of so much uncertainty, with so many unanswered questions, and unfortunately this is still another gray area. In the next year or two we will probably have a better understanding of the duration of protection. (This also applies to the vaccine: we know that it works for at least two months, but it does not have bEen around long enough for us I know if immunity disappears after months, or years, or lasts a lifetime.)
So here’s what the experts recommend: First of all, it might be comforting to know you probably have some protection. This is good news. But it’s not actionable news: you still have to do it in short the same things as the rest of us.
It is still important to wear masks, for example, and to respect all the usual social distance rules. Don’t think that you can sit close and touch people freely or something like that.
You should also continue to receive the vaccine when it becomes available to you.. The CDC says that you should not get the vaccine while you have COVID, but vaccination after recovery is fine. If you got antibody treatment while you were sick, that’s it it could be a reason for delaying vaccination, but the infection itself is not.