In our battle against the pandemic-causing COVID-19, researchers are working hard to bring us a vaccine that could save us from the novel coronavirus.?
Although there are other researchers who are looking for antibodies in people that can naturally protect them from the coronavirus.
Previous studies have shown that the duration antibodies can last in our bodies is a grey area. However, this new study helps us get a little more clarity.
A recent study in Iceland has found that antibody levels against COVID-19 rose and remained constant for nearly four months for over 90 percent of recovered from the novel coronavirus in Iceland.
Reported first by?Reuters, in order to learn about how long antibodies can last in a human body after infection, the researchers checked for antibodies in over 30,000 Icelanders (10 percent of the population), determining their immunity status.?
The results revealed that 1 percent of the entire population was infected with COVID-19. From that one percent, 56 percent were confirmed to have the novel coronavirus after the RT-PCR testing. Remaining 14 percent of people weren¡¯t diagnosed formally but were put under quarantine after being exposed to someone with the novel coronavirus. And the rest 30 percent revealed that they had the infection after antibodies were found in their body.
Of the 1,215 people with confirmed diagnosis using RT-PCR, 91 percent had antibodies that actually rose during the first two months and then remained constant, for two more months before plummeting.?
Researchers claim that the study looked at a specific homogenous population from a particular nation, so findings in different nations and regions could vary. Regardless, it emphasises the fact that careful antibody tests can show the exact prevalence of infection.?
Researchers also caution that it is unknown if the existing antibodies are capable of protecting them from reinfection. However, they do state that antibody tests could be a better and cost-effective alternative to infection testing in order to better determine populations as authorities around the world plan to unlock parts of their nation.