The American became infected with coronavirus after recovery, and the second time the symptoms were much more serious. Doctors admit that the man could not recover completely, but scientists are sure: this is due to the fact that immunity to Covid-19 decreases with time.
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Therapist D. Clay Akerley from Washington spoke about the case in a column for a magazine Vox. One of his patients fell ill twice with a difference of three months: and if for the first time he was only worried about coughing and sore throat, then in the second he had a strong fever of shortness of breath and oxygen starvation. Sometimes symptoms Covid-19 may persist for months, but not be so noticeable, and perhaps the patient simply did not recover. However, Akerli thinks differently: tests for coronavirus twice gave a negative result and the man felt good for six weeks.
According to doctors, this is not the only case. The author of the article talks about two similar patients in New Jersey: they became infected almost two months after recovery.
Unknown immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 now outweigh the famous. We do not know how strong immunity after infection, how long this can last and how many antibodies are needed to fight off the infection.
Some researchcarried out on recovered patients show that antibodies do not appear in all. In asymptomatic patients, they respond to the virus immediately after infection, but quickly weaken. Also, people who have recovered from Covid-19may lose immunity to it. Three months after recovery, antibody levels in patients decreased 23 times, and a powerful response to the virus was observed only in 17% of those who recovered (at the peak of infection in patients, this indicator is 60%). And this is not good news for vaccine developers.
“Antibodies work most efficiently during infection, so if your infection gives a level antibodies, which decreases in two to three months, the vaccine will potentially do the same, ”says biochemist Katie Dores.
Experts suggest that immunity once exposed SARS-CoV-2, protects society from re-infection and further spread of the virus. But the described case shows that natural collective immunity may never develop. Moreover, repeated infections in a short period are a feature of many viruses, including other coronaviruses.
Without confidence in personal immunity or the help of a collective effort, collaborative coping with a pandemic is complicated. Akerli believes that efforts should go beyond the mere expectation of effective treatments and vaccines and include ongoing prevention: wearing protective masks, washing hands frequently, maintaining social distance, and testing and tracking new cases everywhere.
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