Prior COVID-19 infection can reduce infection risk for up to 10 months

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In a new study from University College London, researchers found that the risk of being infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is substantially reduced for up to 10 months following a first infection.

In the study, 682 residents (with a median age of 86) and 1,429 staff in 100 care homes in England underwent antibody blood tests in June and July last year following the first wave of COVID-19.

About a third tested positive for antibodies, suggesting they had previously been infected.

The team compared those who had evidence of a previous infection up to 10 months earlier, as determined by antibody testing, with those who had not been previously infected.

They found that residents with a previous infection were 85% less likely to be infected during this four-month period than residents who had never been infected, while staff with past infection were 60% less likely than staff who had not had the infection before.

The team says it’s good news that natural infection protects against reinfection in this time period. The risk of being infected twice appears to be very low.

The fact that prior COVID-19 infection gives a high level of protection to care home residents is also reassuring, given past concerns that these individuals might have less robust immune responses associated with increasing age.

These findings are particularly important as this vulnerable group has not been the focus of much research.

The researchers say that an important next step is to investigate the duration of immunity following natural infection and vaccination and to assess whether this protective effect is maintained against current and emerging variants.

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The study is published in Lancet Healthy Longevity. One author of the study is Dr. Maria Krutikov.

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