Every human in the world is waiting to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. How do you think the vaccine for fighting the virus would be helpful in saving us from this pandemic? The whole point is to get the COVID19 immunity.
Once someone has immunity to it, it means they would not be affected by the Coronavirus. There is one query which is a hot topic in the news as of now. People want to know if our body would create antibodies to COVID-19 in case we get infected by it once. This question holds great importance in this extreme situation of virus spread. The answer to this question concludes what people need to do if they have already recovered from this deadly virus once.
Are they safe to go back to usual work routines and travel around or not? In case, the people who were infected by Coronavirus once are immune to it, it is excellent news. However, if it is the opposite, people can fall victim to reinfection of COVID-19 reinfection. Besides, they may spread it further which can be dangerous to other people.
If you are someone who was safe until now but have recently developed symptoms like common cold, it is better to get yourself tested for coronavirus. Read on to know what to expect if you or someone you know had tested positive before but got recovered.
Covid19 Antibody and Immunity to Coronavirus
The moment your body gets attacked by any type of virus, its defense mechanism naturally starts responding to it. This helps in the slow progress of that virus and might even avoid it from developing any symptoms. Such initial response is usually followed by a further advanced, particular response by your body. It produces protective molecules which are called antibodies that bind on to the virus and deactivate it.
A specific antibody is created for each infection type. In simple words, if your body has antibodies of a particular virus, you get immune to that very virus. For example, if someone has poliovirus antibodies, they would not be affected by it. Similarly, one who has coronavirus antibodies, will become immune to COVID-19.
When someone catches COVID-19, her or his body develops protective antibodies particularly to fight the Coronavirus. This helps to clear this virus out of the body and give way to recover from this harmful infection. Please keep in consideration that the amount of antibodies developed can be different based on several factors. Hence, the post COVID immunity level it confers might vary from individual to individual.
The various factors which introduce this variation include an individual’s age, body response, and overall health condition. The WHO is continuously reviewing the evidence of antibody responses to COVID-19 infection. Almost all these studies concluded that patients who got recovered from the infection have developed antibodies to this virus. So, it is clear that development of immunity to coronavirus is directly linked to the development of antibodies of COVID-19.
Does Production of Antibodies in Our Body Provide COVID19 Immunity?
According to the medical professionals, antibodies can offer temporary immunity from COVID-19 to some level. But, there is study evaluation which states that antibodies’ presence makes a person immune to reinfection of this virus. However, some experts state the opposite and give explanations for the same.
The main point to note is that researchers are not sure yet. There is no specific information on how longer these antibodies remain in the body. Because of this uncertainty, we cannot be sure on how long the immunity lasts as well. The duration and extent of the antibody immunity to Coronavirus is unknown as of now. It is best to take precautions in continuation even if one has already caught COVID-19 once.
Is There a Test to Ensure You Have Immunity To Coronavirus?
The answer is no. Not yet. There is no test to confirm that someone is immune to this dangerous virus. On the contrary, Covid19 antibody test can identify the Corona antibodies in case you were infected before and have now recovered.
This test evaluates the presence of the antibodies in the blood. It can be of good use to understand if someone has caught the coronavirus in the recent time. So many people who are infected by COVID-19 do not show related symptoms and were asymptomatic. A test for COVID-19 antibody can detect whether or not you came in contact with the virus. This can further tell if there are antibodies in your body to fight against it.
If Your COVID-19 antibody Test is Positive, Are You Immune to the Virus?
If your antibody test is positive or the presence of COVID-19 antibodies are detected, it only states that you were exposed to it previously. Getting a positive result on an antibody medical test does not imply that someone has become immune to coronavirus.
Researchers explained this topic of concern giving several examples. For instance, for some infectious diseases, antibodies might offer protection against the reinfection. In some cases, they cannot help prevent reinfection. However, symptoms can be milder in some of these cases. On contrary to both these types, there are cases in which antibodies cannot provide any prevention at all.
The coronavirus which is the source of COVID-19 is a newly found virus. The scientists and medical professionals are yet learning about this virus. There is not much clarity on topics such as how the antibody to COVID-19 would behave.
In addition, if your COVID19 antibody test is negative, it does not make you free. Negative report does not mean that one had never had the virus. There is a possibility that the antibody levels in your body are exhausted. Therefore, the past contraction might not get detected through the test.
Can You Get Coronavirus Two Times?
There are chances of possibility. However, how high these chances are is unknown as of now. Multiple case studies have been reported in different areas of the world related to this. Many studies state that it is possible for people to get affected by the virus a second time.
Antibodies may slow down the progression to this severe illness or re-infection of the same virus. However, experts do not know with surety how much prevention it would provide and how long that protection would last. Also, it is not clear if the virus would spread from reinfected people to others or not.
How to Act to Protect Yourself and Others from COVID-19 Infection and Reinfection?
The most efficient way to prevent yourself from coronavirus is simply to follow all Coronavirus related prevention guidelines. To stop the spread of infection, it is suggested to follow social distancing, especially when you are travelling.
According to WHO recommendation, using hand sanitizer and washing your hands often are necessary actions for safety. And of course, wearing a mask wherever you go in public can be of great help to prevent the virus from spreading.
Understand that even if you or your family member previously won over the virus, it ensures nothing. It does not make you or them safe from it. Do not take previous virus contraction as a sign for COVID-19 immunity. You may or may not have it. Therefore, acting otherwise is simply not appropriate.
It is better to continue taking social and hygienic precautions to fight against the virus. This is the primary way to protect yourself and your closed ones from this deadly disease. Online shopping is the best way to get the desired products delivered to your home safely. You can use handmade masks and homemade sanitizers if the market is closed or these products are unavailable to you.
If you stay in the area where lockdown is active right now, it is better to customise things for self. You can use the internet to search and find out best ways to tackle things on your own without going out.
The Bottom Line
Everything about the novel coronavirus and COVID19 is not yet discovered. There is so much that is still left to discover, experiment, and learn about. Researchers are still in process to make progress regarding these scientific studies.
Medical experts from all over the globe are trying to understand this disease and its various aspects. Of course, the threat of COVID-19 reinfection is great concern for everybody. Even though the vaccine is developed and Corona immunity is the talk of time, nothing is hundred percent sure. Health officials and experts have stated there are thin chances of COVID-19 reinfection. Catching the Corona twice is rare and so, it is not that serious of a concern.
You receive the vaccine or not, whether you get a negative report on antibody tests or not – should not change your general way of doing daily tasks as per Corona guidelines. These conditions are important, of course. However, they do not change the fact that how much COVID-19 immunity helps is unsure as of now.
In any case, it is best to follow WHO recommendations for safety from catching viruses and its further spread.