KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.
By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Antibodies are like soldiers in our body designed to fight COVID-19, but how long do they last in people who have already been infected?
We know antibodies fight the infection and can protect you from getting that disease again. But for how long?
What we know is that when somebody gets infected with COVID-19, they do get antibodies that can last.
Further research is teaching us that some of the new coronavirus variants could evade the antibodies and potentially be infectious for somebody who had already been infected with a well-known variant of COVID-19.
A research study from England has found people who have been infected with COVID-19 are likely to be protected against catching it again for at least five months.
The good news is that cases seem to be less severe in those reinfected. We are encouraging people who have had COVID-19 to still get vaccinated and this is regardless of their past case being mild or severe.