Antibody study out of Iceland renews hope of lasting immunity

In what is the most extensive study to date on the immune response to the coronavirus over time, scientists in Iceland have discovered that antibodies last longer than previously thought.

Blood samples were analyzed using various methods and included a range of people, from the asymptomatic to those who were hospitalized. If two of the antibody tests were positive, the case was tested further to find out how long antibodies remained present. Previous, smaller studies, suggested that antibodies disappeared quickly and that those with few or no symptoms may not develop many at all. The results of this study, recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, show that antibodies rose for two months after diagnosis and then remained stable for four months.

This is good news for vaccine development, because if a vaccine can stimulate the production of long-lasting antibodies, immunity to this virus may not be short-lived.

Source: Winnipeg Free Press