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There is no evidence that people who test positive are immunized against the new coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned Saturday, considering that So-called ‘immunity passports’ can promote the spread of the pandemic.
“There is no evidence at this time that people who were cured of covid-19 and who have antibodies are immunized against a second infection,” the WHO said in a statement.
“As of April 24, 2020, no study has evaluated whether the presence of antibodies to SARS-Cov-2 confers immunity against future infection. for this virus in humans, “he said.
Some governments have proposed that documents certifying the immunity of people be delivered on the basis of serological tests that reveal the presence of antibodies in the blood, in order to lift the confinement and gradually allow return to work and resumption of economic activity.
However, the efficacy of antibody immunity is not demonstrated at this time and the available scientific data does not justify the grant of an “immune passport” or a “certificate of absence of risk”, warned the WHO.
“People who believe they are immunized against a second infection because they tested positive for such tests may ignore public health recommendations. Resorting to these types of certificates could, consequently, increase the risks that transmission will continue,” he insisted.
Resorting to these types of certificates could, consequently, increase the risks of the transmission continuing
Furthermore, the WHO considers that the currently used serological tests “need additional validation to determine their accuracy and reliability.” In particular, they must distinguish the immune response to the new coronavirus from the antibodies produced by an infection from another of the six known human coronaviruses, four of which cause benign colds and the other two are those of MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) and that of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).
“People infected with one or the other of these viruses are capable of producing antibodies that interact with antibodies produced in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection,” and so it is imperative to be able to identify them, he said.
AFP
