A new research carry out, immunity to COVID-19 might be lost within months. According to the research conducted by scientists at King’s College London, COVID-19 could infect people continually on an annual basis just like the common cold and flu virus.
The scientists looked at the immune response of more than 90 patients and healthcare workers at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS foundation trust, putting to bed reports that herd immunity could be a way of defeating the virus.
The scientists found that antibody levels peaked three weeks after symptoms and then declined.
Speaking to the Guardian, Dr Katie Doores, the lead scientist of the research said: ‘People are producing a reasonable antibody response to the virus, but it’s waning over a short period of time and depending on how high your peak is, that determines how long the antibodies are staying.’
According to Dr Katie, antibody levels were highest and lasted longest in patients who had the most severe cases, and that any protection from a vaccine may not be very long lasting meaning that the vaccine may need to be reformulated every year.
This research comes after a new study found more than half of hospitalised Coronavirus patients given heart scans worldwide were found to have abnormalities.
The study by the British Heart Foundation showed 55 per cent of 1,261 patients from 69 countries had abnormal changes to the way their heart was pumping, with around one in seven showing evidence of severe dysfunction.
According to the study, majority of patients had never been diagnosed with heart problems before, leading scientists to conclude that COVID-19 may seriously affect the heart.
