Thought of the Day - May 27 - If You Are Infected Do You Become Immune?

There are a number of studies now published that try to address the question: If you are exposed to SARS CoV-2 and recover from COVID-19 are you then immune? The preponderance of evidence is now saying: Quite probably.

Three things are seen to be happening:

1. recovered COVID-19 patients develop SARS CoV-2 antibodies, along with memory T-cells, that sufficiently remain in their system;

2. like all viruses, SARS CoV-2 is mutating, but at a slow rate; it has not yet produced any documented immuno-differentiated strains;

3. recovered COVID-19 patients are no longer infectious (patients that retested positive were just shedding residual "dead" antigens; this can continue for months).

This could also mean:

1. reinfection and also reactivation is unlikely (different from HIV that infects the nucleus of cells);

2. herd-immunity, ideally hastened with a vaccine, is possible;

3. antibody plasma transfer might be an efficacious form of treatment;

4. antibody testing provides an indication of immunity;

5. unless a functionally significant mutation occurs in the near term, over the coming years SARS-CoV-2 will largely die out.

This is all fantastic news for the world.

Cheers

Cliff