People with antibodies appear to have immunity for at least a few months.
According to a new study, people who test positive for antibodies after being sick with the virus that causes COVID-19 may have protection against reinfection for at least a few months.
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health analyzed 3 million results of antibody tests, also known as serology tests, from five commercial laboratories and two healthcare data analysis companies between January and August 2020.
The researchers found that people with positive antibody tests were only one-tenth more likely than those without antibodies to test positive for the virus 90 days after the initial antibody test. After 90 days, a positive test probably represents a new infection rather than viral shedding of the original infection.
“Data from this study suggest that people who test positive for a commercial antibody test appear to have substantial immunity to SARS-CoV-2, meaning they may have a lower risk of suffering future ones. infections “, associated Dra. said in a statement the director of the National Cancer Institute’s surveillance research program, which led the study.
The results could help explain why reinfection appears to be relatively rare and could guide future decisions about reopening work and school, as well as vaccine distribution options.
According to the researchers, further research is needed to understand how long this protection lasts, who may have less protection, and how differences between patients, such as the underlying conditions, may affect protection against reinfection.
The study was published Wednesday in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Stephanie Ebbs of ABC News contributed to this report.
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