Antibody Prevalence Falling

Angie SzumlinskiStudies

Tests on more than 365,000 people in England have shown that the antibody response to the virus that causes COVID-19 wanes over time. Led by Imperial College London, an analysis of finger-prick tests carried out at home between June 20th and September 28th found that the number of people testing positive dropped by 26.5% across the study period from almost 6% to 4.4%

The study from Real Time Assessment of Community Transmission (REACT) indicate that over time there is a reduction in the proportion of people testing positive for antibodies. It remains unclear what level of immunity antibodies provide or for how long the immunity lasts. The findings suggest however that there may be a decline in the level of immunity in the population in the months following the first wave of the epidemic.

Professor Helen Ward, one of the lead authors of the report said: “This very large study has shown that the proportion of people with detectable antibodies is falling over time. We don’t yet know whether this will leave these people at risk of reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19, but it is essential that everyone continues to follow guidance to reduce the risk to themselves and others.

Bottom line, wash your hands, cover your cough, mask in public places, avoid crowds that can result in “super spreaders” and of course get plenty of rest! Stay the course, stay strong, stay well, mask up and stay tuned!