Jeffrey Shaman, Ph.D., of Climate and Health Program at Columbia University, spoke with HD Live! about COVID-19 reinfection risk.
Risk for COVID-19 Reinfection Remains Unknown
WEDNESDAY, June 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- The potential risk for reinfection with COVID-19 remains a concern, but evidence is scarce, according to Jeffrey Shaman, Ph.D., director of the climate and health program at Columbia University, who recently spoke with HD Live! about his research and the risk for reinfection with COVID-19.
"We'd love to think that we're basically 'one and done' with this virus, so that you're infected with the virus, you develop antibodies, and the next time you encounter the virus, it takes it and removes it from your body and preemptively clears it so you're not infected," said Shaman. "The reality is we still don't know as of yet."
Using common coronaviruses as an example, Shaman explained that although 90 percent of the population has antibodies for each, individuals are infected repeatedly. "We have evidence to show that people get repeat infections by these coronaviruses, which is very concerning because it means that we are getting them over and over again in spite of some antibodies that are developing," he said.