As coronavirus spreads across the globe, a crucial question has emerged: After recovering from an infection, are people immune?
This question is important for understanding who can safely go back to work, as well as for understanding how long the worst impacts of the pandemic are likely to last. Because the virus is so new, the answer isn’t fully understood. But so far, scientists say, it looks like SARS-CoV-2 probably induces immunity like other coronaviruses. That means that the human body will probably retain a memory of the virus for at least a few years and should be protected from reinfection, at least in the short-term.
“We do not have any reason to assume that the immune response would be significantly different” from what’s seen with other coronaviruses, said Nicolas Vabret, an assistant professor of medicine at the Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine. who specializes in virology and immunology.
Investigations of SARS-CoV-2 so far have suggested, however, that the immune response to the virus also contributes to the devastating effects of the disease in some people.
Source: Live Science
