This is the conclusion of the researchers in an article published today in the scientific journal Nature Medicine.
We already knew that the risk of re-infection is not zero when the first cases of re-infection came to light in Hong Kong, Belgium and the Netherlands, explains lead researcher Lia van der Hoek. “But how long it takes, on average, before someone is susceptible to the virus again was unknown so far.”
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The new coronavirus has only been around for so short that the chance of a second infection cannot be properly investigated. Therefore, the researchers looked at four known and harmless harmless coronaviruses, which cause only a mild cold.
General property
The scientists analyzed the amount of antibodies against these viruses in 513 blood samples taken from humans at different times in recent years. For example, they discovered that a second infection with the same coronavirus regularly occurs after one year and sometimes even faster.
“Precisely because the viruses differ greatly and we find the same result for all viruses, we think this is a common property of all coronaviruses,” explains researcher Arthur Edridge. “That also means that the immunity will not last long for the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.”
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Principal researcher Van der Hoek adds: “The research is an estimate. But this is more likely than the new corona virus will do things very differently.”
“So even though you had an infection with the new corona virus this spring, it remains important to adhere to the RIVM guidelines. You could just get infected again.”
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