ISLAMABAD, July 31 (Online): A recent spate of reports and studies suggest that antibodies produced after having COVID-19 might not last long — perhaps from a few months to just a few weeks. This raises concerns about our ability to build immunity to COVID-19, at least by natural means, as well as heightening concerns about the potential for reinfection. “The results call for caution regarding antibody-based ‘immunity passports,’ herd immunity, and perhaps vaccine durability,” a recent correspondence in the New England Journal of Medicine stated, although the column noted further study is needed. But antibodies aren’t the be-all and end-all of conferred immunity, experts say. And it’s still early days in the study of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. “Existing antibody research shows that the strength of the immune response correlates to the severity of the symptoms. The sickest individuals tend to have more antibodies circulating in the bloodstream compared to those with mild or no symptoms,” said Chris DiPasquale, director of assay development at Babson Diagnostics, a Texas company doing COVID-19 serology (antibody) tests. Antibodies don’t tell the whole story A person’s immune system involves a complex array of interrelated cell actions, productions, and associated responses to defeat … Continue reading You Probably Can’t Get COVID-19 Twice: The Latest on Antibodies