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In England, a new treatment is being tested for people exposed to the coronavirus but who have not yet been vaccinated.
Trials at the University College London Hospitals (UCLH) NHS Trust are testing whether people recently exposed to the coronavirus could be offered some measure of protection by direct antibody injections, according to the BBC.
“We know that this combination of antibodies can neutralize the virus, so we hope to discover that giving this treatment by injection can lead to immediate protection against the development of COVID-19 in people who have been exposed, when it would be too late to offer a vaccine, ”UCLH virologist Dr. Catherine Houlihan told the news service.
Vaccines can take weeks to provide full immunity against a virus as the body builds up the necessary antibodies. The goal of post-exposure treatment is to provide an alternative, and more immediate, method of protection for those who cannot receive the vaccine.
The antibodies can provide protection against the coronavirus for up to a year, say the researchers, adding that they do not seek to provide the treatment as an alternative for those who can receive the vaccine.
Testing has only started in London, and the first results are expected this spring.
