Previous infection with other types of coronaviruses might help a person have a quicker response to COVID-19 but there is still no evidence that it could protect them from getting the COVID-19, Executive Director of the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme Michael J. Ryan said Wednesday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th May, 2020) Previous infection with other types of coronaviruses might help a person have a quicker response to COVID-19 but there is still no evidence that it could protect them from getting the COVID-19, Executive Director of the World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme Michael J. Ryan said Wednesday.
A recent small study, reported by the Scientific American magazine, suggests that people who have had COVID-19 have strong response in T-cells the immune cells that help the body fight viruses. The scientists also found some response to the novel coronavirus in the blood samples collected before SARS-CoV-2 began spreading. According to the researchers, this may suggest that people who had experienced common cold might have some measure of protection against the COVID-19.
"There is certainly some evidence with regard to T-cells that if you have a previous coronavirus infection, you may be able to mount a lot more rapid response to COVID-19. But there is no empirical evidence that previous coronavirus infections protect you form infection with COVID-19. The jury is still very much out on that," Ryan told the press conference.
The vaccines that could protect against the coronavirus are still being developed across the world.
