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Those with antibodies appear to have immunity for at least a few months.
People who test positive for antibodies after being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 may be protected from reinfection for at least a few months, according to a new study.
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health analyzed 3 million antibody test results, also called serological tests, from five commercial labs and two healthcare data analysis companies between January and August 2020.
Researchers found that people with positive antibody tests were only about a tenth more likely than those without antibodies to test positive for the virus 90 days after their initial antibody test. . After 90 days, a positive test probably represents a new infection rather than a viral shedding of the original infection.
“Data from this study suggests that people who test positive in a commercial antibody test appear to have substantial immunity to SARS-CoV-2, which means they may be less at risk of future infection.” Dr. Lynne Penberthy, managing partner of the National Cancer Institute’s surveillance research program, who led the study, said in a statement.
The findings could help explain why re-infection appears to be relatively rare, and they could potentially guide future decisions about reopening work and school, as well as vaccine distribution choices.
According to the researchers, more research is needed to understand how long this protection lasts, who may have less protection, and how differences between patients, such as underlying conditions, may affect protection against reinfection.
The study was published Wednesday in JAMA Internal Medicine.
ABC News’s Stephanie Ebbs contributed to this report.
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