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A study by London’s “Imperial College” estimated that only 4.4% of adults had some form of immunity against “Covid-19” in September, when cases began to worsen again.
This compared to the 6% found to have antibodies between June 20 and July 13, and 4.8% between July 31 and August 31.
The number of people who have antibodies decreased by 26.5% in three months, according to research by the Department of Health and Social Assistance.
The study included more than 365,000 randomly selected adults in England using home fingerstick antibody tests.
And between June 20 and September 28, the percentage of people who tested positive for antibodies dropped from 6% to 4.4%.
And the Department of Health and Social Care said this indicates a decrease in antibodies in the weeks or months after infection.
Health Minister Lord Bethel said the study showed that people are not immune to the Corona virus just because they have shown the presence of antibodies.
He added: “This study led by” Imperial “and Ipsos MORI is an important part of the research, helping us to understand the nature of antibodies against” Covid-19 “over time and improve our understanding of the virus itself. We rely on this kind of important research to inform our continued response to disease. “It is also important that everyone knows what this means to them: this study will help in our fight against the virus, but a positive antibody test does not mean that you are immune to “Covid-19”, so we can continue to take appropriate action at the right time.
Antibody responses also appear to vary over time based on a person’s age and symptoms.
The study suggested that people who did not show symptoms of “Covid-19” would likely lose detectable antibodies earlier than those who showed signs of the disease.
The results also show that the loss of antibodies was slower in people between the ages of 18 and 24, compared to those aged 75 and over.
Professor Paul Elliott, director of the REACT program, said: “Our study shows that over time, there is a decrease in the proportion of people who test positive for antibodies against the virus that causes Covid-19. “How long does this immunity last? And if someone tests positive for antibodies, they should still follow national guidelines, including social distancing measures, take a swab test if symptoms appear, and wear face covers when necessary.” .
Helen Ward, one of the lead authors of the antibody report, said: “This large study has shown that the proportion of people who have antibodies can decrease over time. We do not yet know if this would leave these people at risk of reinfection with the viruses, but it is imperative that everyone follow the guidelines to reduce risks to themselves and others. “
The results of the study indicate that the first wave of the epidemic occurred in a short period, in March and April.
There appears to have been a sharp drop in the proportion of people reporting “Covid-19” symptoms and testing positive for antibodies since early April.
While positive antibody tests have decreased in the general population, the number of healthcare workers who test positive for them has not changed.
Researchers believe this may be due to increased initial or repeated exposure.
And there was a decrease in positive antibody tests in people of all age groups, although the lowest was among people between 18 and 24 years old.
This group experienced a 14.9% decrease, compared to the group that includes people older than 75, which saw a decrease in the number of people who have antibodies by 39%.
Asymptomatic cases saw a 64% decrease in antibodies, compared to a 22.3% decrease among people who tested positive for the virus.
The article expresses the opinion of its author and is not necessarily the policy of the site.
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