Work by researchers in Hong Kong finds that reinfection may be possible in rare cases.

[brooklynite]

Source: New York Times

Researchers in Hong Kong are reporting the first confirmed case of reinfection with the coronavirus.

“An apparently young and healthy patient had a second case of Covid-19 infection which was diagnosed 4.5 months after the first episode,” University of Hong Kong researchers said Monday in a statement.

The report is of concern because it suggests that immunity to the coronavirus may last only a few months in some people. And it has implications for vaccines being developed for the virus.

The 33-year-old man had only mild symptoms the first time, and no symptoms this time around. The reinfection was discovered when he returned from a trip to Spain, the researchers said, and the virus they sequenced closely matched the strain circulating in Europe in July and August.

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/24/world/covid-19-coronavirus.html

[Blues Heron]

1. wow not a relapse - definitely a new infection

“Our results prove that his second infection is caused by a new virus that he acquired recently"

[Warpy]

2. "The 33-year-old man had only mild symptoms the first time, and no symptoms this time around. "

Translation: he had been exposed but his immune system was taking care of it. He didn't get ill.

It's a good reason to quarantine travelers until we get a vaccine.

[lark]

3. It's worse than that.

Even when there is a vaccine, how long will it last with the antibodies going away so soon?

[Warpy]

4. You need to look up how the immune system works

and no, you don't need a course in immunology. There is a lot more to it than just antibodies, like what produces those antibodies, how it knows how to produce them, what the function of memory is in the immune system and how that works on subsequent exposures to the same bug.

The basics aren't rocket science but they are interesting and will keep you from scaring yourself to death.

The bottom line is that this guy's immune system is working and he didn't get sick again.