The World Health Organization ( WHO ) has warned there is “ no evidence ” that citizenry with antibodies to Covid-19 have necessarily develop immunity to the disease and are protected against a second infection .
Some nation , such asGermany , are looking to roll out “ immunity passports ” that would allow people to be free from some lockdown measures if they can prove they have recovered from Covid-19 . However , the WHO has warned government against this estimate as the effectivity of antibody testing has not been proven .
“ As of 22 February 2025 , no study has evaluated whether the bearing of antibodies to SARS - CoV-2 [ the computer virus that causes Covid-19 ] confab immunity to subsequent contagion by this computer virus in humans , ” the WHO said ina scientific briefpublished on Friday , April 24 .
As such , the unveiling of “ immunity passports ” could really assist to increase virus transmission . “People who presume that they are resistant to a 2d infection because they have experience a positive test event may dismiss public wellness advice , " the organization state
After the torso ’s resistant arrangement initially responds to infection with white stock cells , it starts to make antibody that specifically bind to the computer virus and counterbalance the pathogen . The body also induce deoxythymidine monophosphate - cell that recognize and get rid of other cells infect with the computer virus , a process known as cellular exemption . After the virus is cleared from the dead body , some of these specific antibody will drift around for some time , protect the body from the transmission and celebrate sentry duty in case of any succeeding invasion . So , if you have specificantibodies to a pathogenin your body , itcansuggest you have some level of immunity to that disease .
However , as ever , it ’s not quite as fatal and ashen as that . It might be potential for a somebody to just have low levels of antibody in their line , but not have full cellular immunity to the disease , such asT - cellular telephone immunity .
It ’s also unclear how long the antibody for SARS - CoV-2 will hang around . With other coronavirus infection , such asSARS , we know multitude can produce antibodies against the illnesses for up to three yr following contagion . Since SARS - CoV-2 is a new computer virus , however , we know very trivial about how it behaves and how long the body ’s “ immune memory ” last .
“ There remain many unknowns,”pointed outDr Tom Wingfield , Senior Clinical Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Physician at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine .
“ These include how recollective SARS - CoV-2 antibodies will last conform to infection and whether having these antibody means that a person is resistant to further SARS - CoV-2 transmission . ”
The WHO , along with much of the scientific residential district , argues all of this precariousness means there is n’t enough enquiry yet to undertake the accuracy of an “ granting immunity pass " – unless aneffective vaccinum is developedpromptly . Although it ’s clear , the earlier we have a vaccine the good , in the meantime it ’s salutary to proceed with caveat . Jumping the gun on any natural action dealing with Covid-19 , whether it ’s a hailed discourse or lifting lockdown measures too before long , could ensue in making the situation worse not better .
“ So - call ‘ immunity passports ’ for previously infect people are political inventions built around complex scientific conception . Only a safe and effectual vaccinum , that I conceive will come in the future , will deliver widespread immunity from infection,”saidProf James Naismith , a structural biologist at the University of Oxford .
