New coronavirus was injected into monkeys, which developed short-term immunity. However, it is still unclear if the acquired immunity will last longer in humans. According to TRT World's latest report, for scientists and medical experts to identify if the millions of people infected by the viral disease at the beginning of the global pandemic are protected from re-infection, the world will need to wait months or even years.
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The new study result showed that the monkeys, which were infected with the novel coronavirus, developed short-term immunity that protected them from re-infection for up to 28 days; the novel coronavirus is responsible for COVID-19 pandemic. Journal Science published the results of Chinese research.
According to the report, rhesus macaques were used in the performed experiment by scientists from Peking Union Medical College, since these monkeys have similarities to humans. The study was conducted to find out if the monkeys have a short-term immunity to the novel coronavirus.
The six rhesus macaques involved in the study developed mild to moderate symptoms after they were infected in their trachea with a dose of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, taking them about two weeks to recover from the disease.
New study claims human immune system might remember COVID-19: Monkeys developed short-term immunity
According to TRT World, the four monkeys received another injection of the novel coronavirus twenty-eight days after the first dose; however, the animals showed no sign of re-infection, despited a brief rise in their temperature. The study revealed that the peak viral load was reached three days after the monkeys were infected; the results were discovered after the scientists started taking frequent samples.
After the first coronavirus infection, the monkeys produced more so-called neutralizing antibodies, showing a stronger immune response, which has protected them against short-term reinfection.
On the other hand, a new study suggests that the human immune system might be able to remember the novel coronavirus, preventing reinfection. According to NBC News' latest report, government officials in Chile are planning to grant immunity passports. While in the United Kingdom, Matt Hancock, the UK Health Secretary, proposed issuing immunity bracelets. These ideas came from one major assumption that an individual who has been infected by COVID-19 won't be re-infected.
According to the report, scientists and other medical experts are studying antibodies and beyond to other elaborate biological responses, such as memory cells and T cells, to understand the human body's response. The report explained that these cells cause the human immune system to recognize or "remember" a virus from the previous infection, killing the pathogen before it infiltrates the cells again.
The study claimed that the key to identifying if the person who has been infected before by the novel coronavirus can be protected from reinfection because his/her immune system can remember the viral disease.
