Covid-19: Recovered patients’ immunity evolves to fight reinfection, new variants, says study

According to a recent study, the immune system of Covid-19 recovered patients can fight or protect the body from the virus for at least six months, and likely much longer.

The research, published in the journal Nature, states that the immune system can even evolve to block the mutated strain of the virus, including the highly contagious South African strain.

The researchers noted that antibodies keep evolving with time due to prolonged exposure to the remnants of the virus.

According to the scientists, including those from Rockefeller University, US, the study provides the “strongest evidence yet” that the immune system “remembers” the virus. It also continues to improve the quality of antibodies even after the infection fades away.

They further speculated that the response could be more robust in recovered patients, preventing reinfection.

Michel C. Nussenzweig, a co-author of the study from Rockefeller University said: “This is really exciting news. The type of immune response we see here could potentially provide protection for quite some time, by enabling the body to mount a rapid and effective response to the virus upon re-exposure.”

Earlier studies have shown that the antibodies wane with time. However, the researchers of the new study claimed that even if the antibodies fade with time, the immune system creates memory B cells that remember the attack of the virus and can trigger proactive responses against it.

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