Coronavirus immunity studies ‘encouraging’ for short-term protection from reinfection, says BU immunologist

New studies provide “encouraging” proof that people who recover from the coronavirus gain protection from reinfection in the short term, but Boston University immunologist John Connor says it remains to be seen whether any will gain long-lasting immunity.

“What’s encouraging is that it says natural infection can lead to the development of antibodies and the hope is that they will be long-lasting,” said Connor, of Boston University’s National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories.

In a study slated to appear later this year in Immunity, a Cell Press science journal, researchers from various universities throughout China found 14 patients who recently recovered from the novel coronavirus all had some level of neutralizing response. Eight displayed cellular immunity upon discharge and two weeks later, six still had high levels of antibodies, suggesting protection from reinfection for some patients.

A second Chinese study that has not yet been peer-reviewed found similar results.

These are two first-of-of-a-kind studies as doctors and public health experts race to gain an understanding of the coronavirus and how it will continue to spread and infect populations across the globe amid predicted resurgences later this year and into the future.