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It is estimated that in the United States, more than half of the population has never contracted COVID-19. In Poland, this percentage may be slightly lower. What does this mean for such people? Should they feel safe or, on the contrary, worry that they have no immunity from infection?
- Scientists are constantly looking for reasons why some people have never been infected with COVID. The answer is not unequivocal
- Certainly this does not mean that they are completely immune to infection. Perhaps they also passed the disease asymptomatically
- “Such people should not believe they have any special” armor “, says the infectious agent Dr. William Schaffner
- This does not exempt them from complying with the rules of sanitary safety and vaccination recommendations, he adds
- Check your health. Just answer these questions
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that by the end of January, about 44 percent. US residents have acquired antibodies to the coronavirus as a result of an infection. This means that 56 percent. people have never been infected.
In Poland, it can be assumed that the percentage is similar. Officially, almost 19 million inhabitants fell ill with COVID-6, or 15 percent. According to experts, it should be multiplied three- or four times.
The fifth wave of the coronavirus is giving way almost everywhere in the world. The number of infections and deaths is falling. In many countries, including the USA, the requirement to wear masks is slowly starting to move away, and other restrictions related to the pandemic are being loosened. A return to “normality” begins, to increased social activity and larger crowds in the public space.
What does this mean for those who have never contracted COVID-19? Should they be more or less worried than those with the infection?
There is no such thing as “armor”
Dr William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, says science still hasn’t been able to figure out why some people have never contracted COVID-19, despite having been exposed repeatedly during the waves so far. pandemic.
He also points out that many people could have had the infection asymptomatically, or they took mild symptoms of the coronavirus as signs of other diseases.
– People can have different types of ability to avoid viruses or bacteria. But – with the state of medicine in 2022 – we can’t yet define them exactly, says Schaffner.
- Read also: Vaccinations against COVID-19 for Ukrainians. Experts: fast educational action needed
In his opinion, there may be several reasons for this – a more effective immune system, a particularly favorable set of genes, and environmental factors may also play a role.
It is much easier to answer the question of why some people get an infection more easily than others from the same exposure to pathogens.
– They are more likely to get sick due to several factors. This mainly applies to the elderly, the weak, obese and those with chronic diseases. All these elements have a negative impact on the body’s protection against viruses, says Schaffner.
At the same time, he warns those who have never been infected lest they think they have any special “armor”. “Everyone, no matter what their previous COVID-19 history is, should continue to follow vaccination recommendations, and vaccinated people should be boosted,” emphasizes Schaffner.
“All studies show that if you are vaccinated and boosted with a booster dose, you are much better protected against serious illness,” he adds.
He also urges that all those “never sick with COVID-19” who catch any respiratory infection should get tested for the coronavirus.
- These symptoms indicate that you may have had an Omicron infection before [LIST]
Protection is not permanent
Infantile reminds us that immunity resulting from vaccination, as well as that acquired after infection, protects us from the severe course of the disease, but there is still no clear data on how long it lasts.
“We have to be up to date all the time,” says Schaffner. – In the future, there may be a recommendation to give a booster dose annually. We have to listen to those who have more experience – he adds.
Amesh Adalja, a senior scientist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, also says it’s unclear why some have avoided getting COVID-19.
- Read also: Which painkillers could be harmful with COVID-19 or vaccination?
It confirms what Schaffner says. There are probably many reasons for this. Everyone’s immune system reacts differently, and so does our gene set. It also agrees that many people have contracted the coronavirus without knowing it.
He emphasizes that in all cases the risk of contracting the disease should be minimized. People who have not been infected with the coronavirus so far, or do not know that they have been infected, should get vaccinated to be sure that they are protected against the severe course of the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, he says.
Genes protect us?
Research recently published in the journal Nature Genetics shows that a genetic factor may play a role in avoiding infection. The authors of the study proved that the enzyme ACE2 (angiotensin converting enzyme – angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor), which helps, among others, regulate blood pressure, wound healing and inflammation, it also helps coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV-2 virus) bind to our body, and serves as an “open door” to cells.
- Find out more: Why are Poles still dying from COVID-19? The expert lists two reasons
Dr. Manuel A. Ferreira, a specialist in analytical genetics at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, explains that ACE2 receptors – or “gateways” to the coronavirus – can vary from person to person. It all depends on what allele, i.e. specific genetic variant, we inherit.
Do you want to test your COVID-19 immunity after vaccination? Have you been infected and want to check your antibody levels? See the COVID-19 immunity test package, which you will perform at Diagnostics network points.
This one particular variant is associated with a lower risk of coronavirus infection. The study showed that people with it have 40 percent. lower risk of infection. However, it was not possible to show in the study how the disease could develop in these people.
We encourage you to listen to the latest episode of the RESET podcast. This time we were wondering why switching our thinking and acting to slow life is a real challenge? Why is listening to your needs so important? What will it do for us? You will hear about it below.
Read also:
- How to strengthen immunity and avoid COVID-19? Simple advice
- How long have you contaminated with Omikron? New research by scientists is surprising
- COVID-19 explosion in China. Despite the “zero-COVID” policy