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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” may favor the spread of the virus. 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.”WHO said in a statement.
“Until April 24, 2020, no study has evaluated whether the presence of antibodies against CoV-2-SARS confers immunity against future infection of this virus in humans”, said.
Some governments have proposed the idea of issuing documents attesting to the immunity of individuals on the basis of serological tests that reveal the presence of antibodies in the blood, in order to disconfirm them and gradually allow them to return to work and resume economic activity.
But the efficacy of immunization with antibodies has not been established at the moment and the available scientific data do not justify the granting of a “passport of immunity “or a” certificate of absence of risk “, warns the WHO.
“People who believe they are immune to a second infection because they have tested positive may ignore public health recommendations. Therefore, the use of these certificates could increase the risk of continuous transmission.”insists.
WHO also believes that the serological tests currently in use “they need further validation to determine their accuracy and reliability”.
In particular, they must be able to distinguish the immune response to the new coronavirus from the antibodies produced when they become infected with any of the six known human coronaviruses, four of which are widespread and cause mild colds. The other two cause MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) and SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome).
However, the WHO notes that “People infected with any of these viruses are likely to produce antibodies that interact with antibodies produced in response to infection caused by SARS-CoV-2”, so it is imperative that they be identifiable.
-Chile will deliver a “Carnet Covid”
Chile will begin on Monday to deliver a “Covid Card” to patients recovered from the disease and with “highest probability” of not being reinfected again, informed Thursday the Minister of Health, Jaime Mañalich.
“The ‘Carnet Covid’ is an instrument that identifies people who are highly likely to be immune”, said the minister at a press conference, announcing the delivery of the document, which will be digital and in person. The announcement was made when 8,807 infected and 105 died of coronavirus are registered in Chile.
This card will be for patients who had confirmation of the virus through a PCR test and completed 14 days without symptoms, also for people who were hospitalized and had no symptoms at discharge.
Those patients with other diseases that have overcome the new coronavirus, such as cancer patients, will be delivered one month after the onset of symptoms, Mañalich explained.
For those who have had close contact with the infected and who did not develop symptoms, they must be certified by means of an immunoglobin (IGG) examination, while health workers who have cared for patients with Covid-19 will be examined every 15 days. .
In this way, health personnel can be “define if they raise these antibodies” and even though they had no symptoms “They had the disease and are already recovered.”
“The requirement to receive the card will be very strict”Mañalich added.
Regarding doubts about reported cases in the world of patients who have been reinfected, the minister clarified that there are still few.
“You canThere may be very few cases in which the person can actually become infected again, but in light of the evidence that we have today, what we can say is that the immunity produced by coronavirus infection lasts a long time, at least, the least we can project is one year. “
From the Ministry of Health they explained to the AFP that the delivery of this card will be centralized, verifying the information of each patient in the epidemiological records, while the holders of this document will be released from complying with all types of quarantines or restrictions.
The authorities also announced this Thursday the obligation to wear the mask in all public spaces.
With AFP
