Researchers at the Public Health England (PHE) have warned that while immunity to COVID-19 lasts at least five months, people carrying antibodies may still carry and spread the virus.
The warning is based on preliminary findings of a study that was held between 18 June and 24 November last year. The study claims that Coronavirus reinfection is a rare occurrence. It found that only 44 out of 6,614 COVID-19 patients reported getting reinfected by the disease.
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PHE researchers have cautioned that people who have already contracted and recovered from the Coronavirus are also at risk of getting infected with the virus once again.
They claim that despite developing immunity against the Coronavirus, people may carry the virus in their nose and throat and could unwittingly spread it.
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According to Susan Hopkins, a Senior Medical Adviser at PHE and co-author of the study, people who have developed antibodies against Coronavirus are considered safe, but the actual duration of this immunity is yet to be ascertained definitively.
What this means is that people who have recovered from the viral infection can be reassured that it is highly unlikely that they will become reinfected and exhibit severe symptoms in the future. However, there are slim chances that they can contract the disease again and infect others.
