Coronavirus antibodies may last only two to three months after infection, study suggests
Coronavirus antibodies may last only two to three months after a person becomes infected with Covid-19, CNBC reports citing a new study published Thursday in Nature Medicine.
Researchers examined 37 asymptomatic people, those who never developed symptoms, in the Wanzhou District of China. They compared their antibody response to that of 37 people with symptoms. The researchers found people without symptoms had a weaker antibody response than those with symptoms.
Within eight weeks, 81% of the asymptomatic people saw a reduction in neutralizing antibodies, compared with 62% of symptomatic patients. Additionally, antibodies fell to undetectable levels in 40% of asymptomatic people, compared with 12.9% of symptomatic people, according to the study’s findings.
Though the study is small, the researchers noted the findings may spur some world leaders to rethink issuing so-called “immunity passports.” Some countries have considered issuing passports or risk-free certificates to people who have antibodies against Covid-19, enabling them to travel or return to work assuming that they are protected against reinfection.