[ad_1]
People who have recovered from Covid-19 are “very likely” to be immune to the virus, according to the CEO of Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche.
CEO Severin Schwan told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Europe” on Monday that he believes those who had previously had the coronavirus would now be immune to the disease, but noted that more research was required.
“We know from other coronaviruses that it is very likely that as soon as you have gone through an infection you will also get immunity,” he said. “But still, however, it has to be demonstrated over time. We need studies to really see if people who have been infected once are subject to reinfection. But there is a high probability that this is the case.”
Schwan’s stance on immunity to Covid-19 came after South Korean scientists concluded that it was impossible for the virus to reinfect humans.
There was concern that people appeared to be getting sick with the coronavirus a second time in Japan, China, and South Korea, but researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in South Korea said last week that this phenomenon had resulted from the test failures.
However, the WHO said in late April that there was insufficient evidence of reinfection to warrant the issuance of so-called “immunity passports,” which would allow those who already had the virus to return to normal life.
A medical worker wears a protective mask while riding a Citi bicycle outside the entrance to Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan during the closure of COVID-19 on April 26, 2020 in New York City.
Roy Rochlin | fake pictures
Antibody tests
On Sunday Roche announced that its coronavirus antibody test had received an emergency use authorization from the US Food and Drug Administration. USA And that it would be available in the USA. USA And in markets that accept the CE European standards mark.
The company said its antibody test is at least 99.8% accurate in detecting antibodies to the virus, which means it can detect if an individual has been exposed to Covid-19.
Schwan told CNBC on Monday that Roche will supply antibody tests this month “in the double-digit high millions,” and that the company seeks to increase those numbers throughout the year.
“It is highly reliable, it is a very accurate test, and it has indeed been a problem with the first generation of tests,” he said. “So now, patients and societies can rely on a highly accurate test.”
He also said the tests would play an important role in helping countries devise strategies to reopen their blockade economies.
“Antibody testing allows for extensive testing, so we get a much clearer picture of how far the pandemic has spread, whether infection rates continue to rise or fall, and over time as soon as we know whether we also acquire immunity, it will allow get people back to work and normalize our societies, “said Schwan. “So I think they are really important, it is a big step forward.”
Roche’s new test can be used with existing laboratory instruments, and the company alone has more than 40,000 platforms worldwide that can be used to perform antibody tests.
