Study: COVID-19 antibodies present in patients for four months after recovery

In more than 90% of recovered COVID-19 patients in Iceland, the antibody levels rose and then were stable for up to 4 months against the novel coronavirus, suggests a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. However, according to previous studies, the antibody levels dropped exponentially within a few months after COVID-19 infection. This raised several questions on the duration of immunity. 

The new revelation

According to the study, researchers measured antibody levels in more than 30,000 people. This was done to get a sense of how many people in Iceland had been infected with the deadly virus and also to learn more about immune status after recovery. Chief executive of deCode Genetics, Kari Stefansson reportedly said that according to the new study the virus may have implications for reinfection risks and vaccine durability. 

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As per the results, it was estimated that about 1 per cent of the population had been infected. 56 per cent had received a confirmed diagnosis after a PCR laboratory test. Another 14 per cent had not been formally diagnosed but had quarantined. However, in the remaining 30 per cent, the tests led to discovery of prior infection. Also, the tests were focussed on a homogeneous population from a single country. This was done as the findings may be different in other parts of the world with diverse populations. 

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Researchers reported that among the 1,215 people with an infection confirmed by PCR, 91 per cent had antibody levels that rose during the first 2 months after diagnosis and then stabilized. Stefansson reportedly said that the the study aimed at showing that how careful antibody tests can determine the true prevalence of infection. This new study has been done by Reykjavik-based deCODE Genetics, a subsidiary of the US biotech company Amgen, with several hospitals, universities and health officials in Iceland. 

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(Image Credits: AP)