PATIENTS who have recovered from coronavirus may only be immune to the disease for a matter of months, according to a new study.
Recent research carried out by King's College London suggests that following infection from Covid-19, immunity antibody numbers decrease significantly after three months, leaving patients susceptible to reinfection.
The study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, likens the inability to establish immunity to the way the human body is unable to establish immunity to the common cold.
In what is believed to be the first longitudinal study of its kind, researchers looked into the immune response of 90 patients and healthcare workers at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust.
While the analysis revealed a "potent" level of antibodies could be found in 60% of participants while at the peak of their battle with coronavirus, sequential blood tests showed only 17% sustained that same level of potency three months later.
Antibodies decreased 23-fold in some cases, and were depleted entirely in others.
The report states that its findings have "important implications when considering widespread (antibody) testing, (antibody) protection against re-infection with (Covid 19) and the durability of vaccine protection."
It added: "Further studies using sequential samples from these individuals is required to fully determine the longevity of the (antibody) response and studies determining the (antibodies') threshold for protection from re-infection are needed."
