#COVID #virus #immunity
“The percentage of Americans with natural immunity from getting COVID-19 is a very powerful vaccine in itself” — President Trump (45)
“We will know soon whether natural immunity is superior to vaccine-induced immunity for Covid-19. Early indicators suggest the answer is ‘yes’” — Joseph Ladapo, MD, PhD.
“It is extremely rare to get reinfected by COVID-19 after 1 has already had the disease and recovered, the median reinfection rate was just 0.27%“– Paul Ebeling
Speaking with journalist Daniel Horowitz, pathologist Dr. Ryan Cole explained that natural immunity produces broad immunity that cannot be matched by vaccination.
In Y 2020 it was reported that people who had recovered from SARS-CoV, a virus that is genetically closely related to SARS-CoV-2 and belongs to the same viral species, maintained significant levels of neutralizing antibodies at least 17 years after initial infection. This also suggests that long-term natural immunity against SARS-CoV-2 should be expected.
With vaccination Israeli data suggest that those who were vaccinated early on, in January 2021, are becoming susceptible to the virus, suggesting its efficacy may wane after about 6 months.
This sentiment was echoed by Pfizer’s (NYSE:PFE) head of medical research and development, Mikael Dolsten, who said “after 6 months, there may be risk of infection with the expected decline of antibodies.” Pfizer is seeking emergency use authorization for a 3rd booster dose of its COVID-19 vaccine in the US.
According to Dr. Cole, part of the reason for waning vaccine-induced immunity is because “we mount an antibody response to only the spike and its constituent proteins” and “as the virus preferentially mutates at the spike, these proteins are shaped differently and antibodies can no longer ‘lock and key’ bind to these new shapes.”
It was initially suggested that natural COVID-19 immunity may be short-lived. This was based on early data on SARS-CoV-2, which found that antibody titers declined rapidly in the 1st months after recovery from COVID-19.
According to a team of researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine, however, if you have had COVID-19, even a mild case you are likely to be immune for life, as is the case with recovery from many infectious agents.
According to senior author of the study Ali Ellebedy, PhD, an associate professor of pathology and immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, “It’s normal for antibody levels to go down after acute infection, but they don’t go down to zero; they plateau.”
The researchers found a biphasic pattern of antibody concentrations against SARS-CoV-2, in which high antibody concentrations were found in the acute immune response that occurred at the time of initial infection. The antibodies declined in the 1st months after infection, as should be expected, then leveled off to about 10% to 20% of the maximum concentration detected.
When a new infection occurs, cells called plasmablasts provide antibodies, but when the virus is cleared, longer lasting memory B cells move in to monitor blood for signs of reinfection.
BMPCs (one marrow plasma cells) exist in bones, acting as “persistent and essential sources of protective antibodies.”
Dr. Ellebedy even said the protection provided by naturally acquired immunity is likely to continue “indefinitely”.
The most recent variant is the Delta variant, the weakest of all the variants and the most easily treatable.
But if someone, let us say a nefarious entity created a more virulent virus, it could easily be designed to bypass a very narrow immunity that hundreds of millions, if not billions of people, Keyed the COVID virus.
Have a happy, healthy, prosperous weekend, Keep the Faith!
