Study: OTG Covid-19 Loses Antibodies Faster

People’s immune response to COVID-19 diminishes with time after infection.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, LONDON – Patients with the asymptomatic corona virus (OTG) are likely to lose antibodies faster than people who show symptoms of COVID-19. This is according to one of the UK’s largest research campuses reported on Tuesday (27/10).

Findings by Imperial College London and market research firm Ipsos Mori show that antibody loss is slower at 18-24 years of age compared to those aged 75 and over. Overall, samples from hundreds of thousands of people across the UK between mid-June and late September showed the prevalence of viral antibodies fell by more than a quarter.

This study commissioned by the UK government shows people’s immune responses to COVID-19 diminish over time after infection.

“This is important research, helping us understand its properties antibodies to COVID-19 from time to time, “said British Deputy Health Minister James Bethell sciencealert on Tuesday (27/10).

However, the scientists involved warn that much remains unknown about a person’s long-term antibody response to the virus.

“It is not clear what level of immunity the antibodies provide, or how long this immunity lasts,” said Paul Elliott of Imperial’s School of Public Health.

This study involved 365 thousand adults who were randomly selected. They carried out three rapid home finger prick tests for coronavirus antibodies between June 20 and September 28. The results showed the number of people with antibodies fell 26.5 percent over the estimated three month period. This means that the proportion of the UK population with antibodies fell from 6.0 percent to 4.4 percent according to the study.

The decline coincided with the prevalence of the virus which fell dramatically across the UK following months of national shutdown. Lockdown only minus during the summer.

However, the study found the number of healthcare workers who tested positive for antibodies did not change over time. So it has the potential to reflect repeated or higher exposure to the virus.

“This very large study has shown that the proportion of people with detectable antibodies decreases over time,” said study co-author Helen Ward.

Ward could not conclude whether this would put these people at risk of being reinfected with COVID-19.

“But it’s important that everyone continues to follow health guidelines to reduce risks to themselves and others,” Ward said.

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