Never Had Covid? You May Hold Key To Beating the Virus

[IcyPeas]

Experts say studying those who have not yet caught Covid has become just as critical as studying those who have.

More than half of Americans may have never had Covid, according to U.S. government data, leaving scientists wondering whether those who’ve avoided the novel coronavirus might actually be immune to the virus altogether. This could offer new clues into how to attack Covid.

At this stage in the pandemic, people may be immune due to vaccines, a past infection, or a combination of both. There’s also evidence that, in rare instances, some people may be Covid-immune without infection or vaccination at all.
...
Immunity to a virus occurs when the body is able to recognize a pathogen and effectively fend off infection or disease. Antibodies, such as those acquired from a vaccine or previous infection, attack a virus as soon as it enters the body. T-cells act as another line of defense, working to stop the spread of infection and development of disease once the virus has made it into the body. The mRNA vaccines such as those made by Pfizer and Moderna work by training the body to safely produce antibodies without infection, but they also spur the production of T-cells and B-cells. That’s why the vaccines effectively prevent hospitalization even when they don’t prevent infection altogether — even when antibodies have waned, T-cells are still there to help fight off an infection more quickly.

more to article:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-30/never-had-covid-you-may-hold-key-to-beating-the-virus

[ananda]

1. Well, I never had Covid, but I have been vaxxed to the maxx!

I don't consider myself naturally immune, just careful.

[dem4decades]

2. Agree, when the virus rate increases, I go underground. So to speak.

[brewens]

30. Ha! Here's COVID coming after me....

[tblue37]

31. Haven't had it that I know of, but I have had the first 3 shots & will soon get #4. I mask &

generally avoid people.

[llmart]

32. Same here.

Especially the generally avoiding people, but then again I'm an introvert so that's just part of my daily routine even pre-Covid.

[tblue37]

36. I'm also an introvert, and now I'm retired, so avoiding people is easier than it was when I was

still teaching college.

[llmart]

37. Interesting.

My last job before I retired was at a university and I dealt with people (faculty/instructors/researchers) all day and I was good at it. Apparently I can pretend to be an extrovert when I want to.

I love being retired and not having the daily drama of the workplace. My life is simple, serene and I do all the things I didn't have time to when I was working such as reading great books, listening to music, yardwork, walks at the park.

I have tried some volunteer jobs and one of them there was drama from a couple of women and I just dropped that like a hot potato. Been there/done that, don't need it in my senior years.

[ananda]

58. Also a retired introvert. I don't completely avoid people,

but the ones I do associate with are 100% fully vaxxed.

[Dorian Gray]

53. I'm in same boat for most part

I am boosted. Will get fourth soon. I mask in public.

I don't avoid people, as I have a child in school, and we just got back from a trip to Disney. But we were some of the only masked people on lines at disney. We also live in NYC. I take the subway, go to appointments, tutor in person, and go to Broadway shows (masked). But outside of that, I work from home, and my social life is generally outdoor meals with friends. I don't do bars or clubs.

I think for me, they'd find it's mostly luck that I haven't gotten it.

[2naSalit]

6. Same here.

Still wearing a mask at public places.

[LeftInTX]

20. I had all three vaccines, but I caught it. Case was very mild

I'm not very careful because I have family who insists on huge gathering.

[LuckyCharms]

48. We are super careful...

We get what what I consider to be passive-aggressive comments from "friends"...

You'd feel better if you got out more.

You really don't need to be masking anymore.

Can't you just stop over to the house for a little while, it will be ok.

No, I can't, because you're in a bar 3 nights a week getting shitfaced, you got Covid, and were so embarrassed that you didn't tell me and I found out in a round about way, didn't get boosted because two shots is enough according to you, and now you think you're invincible because the disease was "bad" but you made it through, so now you think you have "natural immunity" so you're still hitting the bars, and not once have you mentioned the people you may have spread your virus to, you have only talked about yourself. So I'll come over someday. Maybe.

I have not actually said that, but those were my thoughts.

Whew, it felt good to type that.

[lagomorph777]

56. Vaxxed to the max, masked to the max, gloved, visored, and socially distant.

It's not very mysterious why I haven't caught COVID. I believe in science and I act like I believe in science.

[leftieNanner]

3. We got our second booster today

We are traveling overseas in two weeks. Figured it was prudent.

Plus, being retired, it's been easy to socially distance.

[old as dirt]

13. We left the country on Sept 17, just days before the first booster was offered.

Tried to get it early, but it don't work that way.

At this point, I figure it was for the best, since we didn't get it until the end of December, so we're likely beter protected than most folks who got it back in September.



We were very happy to see that litterally everybody was wesring masks in Colombia whenever we went into the city. It was nothing like Iowa.

Neither of us have gotten it yet.

[Ace Rothstein]

4. I somehow haven't gotten it yet.

My kid had it over the holidays and I sat right next to him at the dinner table. We weren't going to make him eat by himself for his favorite time of the year. I've been mostly maskless for at least a month. We also spent a week in London last week and we're doing ok do far.

[Demovictory9]

51. I was working at a COLLEGE at the start of the pandemic. Didn't get it

usually get every flu/virus that goes around in college setting.

[babylonsister]

5. I'm pretty sure I didn't get it because I hibernated. nt

[mchill]

8. It's been fun figuring out how to avoid public buildings

But the dentist office is a tough nut to crack.

[babylonsister]

9. I didn't go to the dentist for

at least a year and paid for it. Shopping was fun; we did that, but very early. Always entertaining to wonder who was infected.

[LeftInTX]

22. Exactly!

I still haven't gone to the dentist and well, I'm just stuck with the lazy excuse for now!

I've been going just about everything else for quite awhile.

I had Covid, but I was not hibernating. I just have family who likes to get together....

[A HERETIC I AM]

7. I've traveled pretty constantly through the whole thing...

taking on average 2 trips a month on airlines, out and back from home, been in scores of different truck stops and Postal facilities and the worst thing I've had was a minor COPD episode in March of '20 and the minor head cold I am getting over right now.

I've had two surgical procedures in that time and was tested negative both times.

I got the Pfizer vaccine as soon as I was eligible, the second dose when I could and the booster when that was available.

I just can not imagine that I haven't been in close proximity to someone who had it, but I didn't hang around anyone that was coughing or wheezing, either.

So I don't know if I fall into that group or not, but I feel pretty lucky.

[Sanity Claws]

10. I'm similar

I live in NYC, the initial epicenter. I took the subway and did not wear a mask in those early months. After masks were advised, I started wearing them but the masks were of the less effective cloth type. I got the vaccine when it became available for my age group, got the second shot, and then the booster.
I took precautions but I was out almost every day, going to stores, taking a bus or train, or just walking in the neighborhood. To be frank, I was not scrupulous about washing my hands, even after taking the subway or buying things in stores.
Was I lucky or did I have some kind of natural immunity? I'll never know but I would not presume that I had natural immunity, as many of the unvaccinated presume.

[A HERETIC I AM]

15. Remember in the early days there was information about blood type having an effect?

I remember reading that “O” blood types (I’m O - negative, the universal donor) were the least likely to contract the virus.

Out of curiosity, are you an O blood type?

I imagine living and working in a big city like NYC presented its own set of challenges.

Congratulations on staying healthy!

[Sanity Claws]

17. I'm O+

Congrats to you too! Stay healthy.

[Totally Tunsie]

18. I'm an A+, and that's apparently the "grade" to

be most susceptible. Cautious and lucky to this point, to be sure.

[A HERETIC I AM]

19. Stay safe!

We aren’t out of the woods yet.

[Totally Tunsie]

21. Thank you. You too!

[rurallib]

23. I am O- and an active blood donor - vaxxed to the max - 3 shots anyway

and still untouched by the virus

[slightlv]

34. I'm O-

and while I tend to mask up most of time time, I have caught myself a few times when I go, "Oh, Crap! and hurriedly put it on halfway thru my shopping trip.

My hubby actually does much of our shopping, as walking on concrete floors for more than 30 minutes tends to kick me into a fibro/lupus flare. But he and I have been as close to each other as ever... he is very fastidious about hand washing, tho.

Still, I've never caught it that I know of. We're both vaxxed and boosted (1x), looking to make the trip to the pharmacy for the next round of boosters. I've got an 85 year old Mom we like to see from time to time.

Speaking of which, Mom has been vaxxed and boosted... but has tested positive 3x for the virus. Always asymptomatic, thank goodness.

[LeftInTX]

26. Sounds lucky or natural immunity...You took more risks than me!

People on DU would consider me "sloppy", but I was good about the masks and social distancing. I live in Texas, so I drive everywhere. My main vice was dealing with family.

I did essential shopping, but that activity has always been considered "low risk". However in June 2020, I had to buy a dress for my daughter's wedding, then I had to get it altered, then we had her big wedding and reception in August 2020.

I did catch Covid in late Dec 2021. But since I was already vaxxed and boosted it was extremely mild.

[Deminpenn]

41. Same here

Not in NYC, but was out daily, generally kept my normal routine

[LeftInTX]

24. I think you might fall into that "lucky" group..odds are you probably would have had a mild case

by now.

I'm in your "risk" group.

I had a mild case right after Christmas. (A month and 2 weeks after my booster)

I consider myself lucky that I didn't get in August 2020 before there were vaccines available! (My daughter got married and insisted on a big wedding. I was worried, but what could I do?)

[FakeNoose]

11. I'm still social distancing, wearing my mask in public and I'm vaxxed

... so my immunities are man-made, not natural.

I hope I never get exposed to the virus. But if I should get it, I'll have the easy-version, I'm sure.

[smirkymonkey]

12. I haven't had it either. I don't think.

I'm vaxxed and I have been pretty careful, but not overly so. I am back in a hybrid work situation (2 days per week) and we aren't wearing masks, and I don't wear them when I am outside.

I was wearing them in stores until MA stopped the mandate just recently, but I haven't really been out and about much either. I definitely have not been going anyplace crowded. Have gone to a few restaurants, but they weren't really packed.

I'm not sure, but I think I might have had it in December 2019- Jan 2020. The symptoms were very severe and similar to Covid, but that was before it was actually officially on the scene here in Boston, so I don't have any way of knowing. I thought I was going to die. I could barely breathe and had such a terrible unproductive cough that I pulled a muscle in my chest. It was the sickest I have ever been.

[Totally Tunsie]

14. No secret to it for me, but I'm vaxxed, masked,

sanitized and hibernated. Truly, there's been little chance for the virus to find me, and I hope that remains.

[Iggo]

16. Yep, that's what I was thinking.

There’s nothing about me they could study other than I acted right.

[Skittles]

25. or maybe we are just careful and actually care about others

ya know?

[SergeStorms]

27. Funny thing about that....

when you listen to the Doctors and Scientists and follow their recommendations to the letter... ..voila! You don't contract the virus!

Knock on wood. A bit of old superstition and becoming a vitual hermit can help as well.

[Totally Tunsie]

55. But, but, but...that would mean

Fauci was right! Who knew?

[SergeStorms]

59. Yeah.

It doesn't matter to the reich-wing maniacs. Truth, facts, sanity, reason... none of them matter, it's whatever Donald Trump says. Not because he's right, but because he says all the hateful, crazy, demented things they're thinking, and more.

How do people get so messed up?

[liberal_mama]

28. I'm pretty sure I haven't gotten Covid because I wear a good mask everywhere & I don't do any

parties, family gatherings, airline travel, or indoor dining. As so many viruses have long term consequences, I am trying very hard not to get it to begin with. I know a few people who have went maskless and engaged in what I'd call risky behavior and haven't gotten Covid. However, most of the people I know that took risks or went maskless did get infected, even if vaccinated and boosted. My husband is vaccinated, but would forgot to wear his mask sometimes, and he got Covid!

[Texin]

29. I'm vaxxed and looking to get the 2nd booster.

But I'm an asthmatic and have (at the age of 68) horrible allergies to various circulating causes. My doctor has told me that my immune response is still kicking ass, at least with allergens. I've also been resolute about minimizing my exposure and limiting my interactions at all levels. So. I don't know and don't feel confident about just sashaying around like I used to do about three years ago. Maybe I would never have contracted the infection or not. I'll never know, but but I don't WANT to know. So, I'll keep myself as safe as I think I can do practicably.

[Liberty Belle]

33. They need to ask what people took that may have boosted their immunities.

Although I'm vaxxed and boosted, I was closely exposed before vaccines were available to the very first patient in San Diego who got COVID, and didn't catch it. I'd interviewed him sitting two feet apart with no masks (before COVID was a known risk here and before masks were available) and he sneezed on my arm. 10 days later he was on a ventilator with COVID, but survived.

Later, our son who lives with us got COVID but I didn't get it. I've since had other less close exposures and never caught it. I even interviewed anti-maskers/anti-vaxxers at a rally (though I had a mask on), have traveled, etc. I did wear a mask most places until very recently. Have I just been lucky, or is my regimen of healthy supplementation protecting me? I am also type 0 blood, which they say reduces your odds of getting COVID by 12%.

I take a lot of turmeric and ginger which reduce inflammation/prevent an inflammatory response if you get COVID supposedly, and also a lot of blueberries and acai berries for their antioxidant properties to stay healthy.

Many healthcare workers do the same, especially those first two steps -- my daughter has been working with COVID patients in an ICU throughout the pandemic and says this is what many of her colleagues are doing.

I'd like to see a study on what people who haven't gotten COVID are doing as far as vitamins, supplements, etc., both vaccinated and unvaccinated folks. While I may have had an asymptomatic case along the way, that's not likely for unvaccinated people. If they've been out mixing with others and not being hermits, it would be good to check and find out is there something out there that's helping prevent illness. There are many natural ways to boost the immune system, and while I would never count solely on that, maybe some of this stuff is actually working.

I will add that I haven't even had a cold or flu since I've added these items to my regiment -- even allergy/hay fever symptoms have disappeared.

I love the Costco turmeric ginger gummies that are tangerine flavored - take two a day.

[halfulglas]

35. I got it back in July 2020 and never figured out from whom.

But the only available masks then were the cloth things. It wasn't confirmed because tests were scarce, but I've never before had a fever for 11 days and fierce headache. I'm blessed with usually having only rare headaches and these were at the top of my skull.

One effect of getting it without an attributable contact was to make my kids and their families more careful - the knowledge that I was practically hibernating and got it.

[LiberalFighter]

38. I haven't and hope I don't catch it. Been vaxxed fully for now.

I generally stay home unless I need to do shopping. And then I am masked. I've been around 50-80 people at 6 monthly meetings last year but I did not spend much time interacting with them. Also in smaller group of about eight for newsletter mailings.

[IronLionZion]

39. Because I still wear a mask even today

despite the stupid comments I get from idiots.

Masks and vaccines and social distance. It's not that complicated. When this pandemic started I thought for sure this was the end for me and my weak immune system and high BMI/cholesterol. But I haven't been infected yet.

[efhmc]

46. I never get any comments except laughs when I wear "My governor is an idiot." mask

[greatauntoftriplets]

40. I got it in a healthcare facility after surgery to fix a broken ankle.

Right now, I have my first cold in two years. No idea where I got that either. I tested twice and both were negative.

[LudwigPastorius]

42. I've never had it, but I'm not going to test the "naturally immune" hypothesis.

I haven't gotten it because I do/did mask and social distance, and got immunized and boosted.

[efhmc]

45. Getting warmer here in Texas but still wearing that mask.

[Danmel]

47. My husband and son both had Covid in February 2021

Right before we were eligible for the vaccine. I somehow didn't get it even though I was living with 2 infected people and in bed with one of them before I know they had it.
I have since been doubly vaccinated and boosted. Haven't traveled but have been out to eat, been in NYC and on the railroad and subways, been to the theater and a few hockey games. I do wear masks in stores and crowded places .

I have O+ blood, so there's that. Contemplating 2nd booster.

[LeftInTX]

50. I don't believe the blood type stuff..I'm A neg, hubby O pos, both had Covid

at the same time.

His whole family had it and they're mostly O pos...

All of us had mild Covid. We are all vaccinated and boosted. (Except I think one of my sons did not get his booster. We think he may have had it and spread it to all of us)

[Samrob]

52. Well evidently I got it back in 2020 around the end of January but I didn't know it.

At the end of May, after my spouse died from COVID, I was tested. I didn't even remember being tested but the doctor had a record of it. With all the turmoil around losing my spouse I never checked in for the result.

I never had a symptom, never so much as a headache. This year after my booster shot I and my doctor were going over my records. You know doctors these day rarely read anyone's records closely...leave to physician assistants or their assistants. There it was. Positive. i was staying in the hospital with my spouse with people being quarantined and some dying all around (this was Jan-March of 2020) until the hospitals and rehabs were shut down around March12-13. Never broke a sweat. According to the record of my first test when they were available, I was positive. I was vaxxed and boosted and never knew I had been positive. Strange beast this COVID.

[uponit7771]

54. K&R, I got it for first time this year

[getagrip_already]

57. I love and hate these reports....

I love them because they are fascinating and offer science based hope.

I hate them because weak minds leap to the wrong conclusions. Magats will say "see, I never needed a mask, I never got it so I'm imune".

You need brain cells to appreciate a story like this.