There is no evidence that backs up the theory that antibody tests can definitively show whether a person is immune to reinfection of COVID-19, according to claims from the World Health Organization.
Risk of Reinfection – Unknown
“These antibody tests will be able to measure that level of serology presence, that level of antibodies, but that does not mean that somebody with antibodies is immune,” head of WHO’s emerging disease and zoonosis unit, Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove said.
Serological, or antibody tests, could be a good indicator of whether or not a person has recovered from COVID-19, or is asymptomatic. That, however, doesn’t mean that you’re immune or protected from reinfection, Dr. Kerkhove said at a news conference at WHO’s Geneva headquarters.
More than 560,000 COVID-19 patients have recovered, with more than 2.1 million cases worldwide, John Hopkins University data shows, although many experts believe the numbers to be unrealistic, as the total amount of cases and recoveries is likely much higher, as countries are struggling to provide enough testing.
“Nobody is sure whether someone with antibodies is fully protected against having the disease or being exposed again,” Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of WHO’s emergencies program said, also adding that the current antibody tests have an issue with sensitivity, which could lead to a false negative result.
WHO officials also said earlier this week that not all who have successfully recovered from the virus can go recover from it a second time, with immunity after infection still unknown, despite the presence of antibodies.
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