Survivors may get COVID-19 anew —DOH

August 27 ------ Notwithstanding the little evidence at present, the Department of Health (DOH) on Wednesday said it is possible for survivors of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to once again get infected with the illness. According to Sandra Aguinaldo’s report on “24 Oras,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that it was possible as the antibodies created against the virus do not last long in the body. “Walang immunity passport. Ibig sabihin, ‘yung antibodies that we develop when we become COVID-19 positive, it doesn’t lang long dito po sa katawan natin. So ‘yung possibility o probability na maaring magkaroon tayo ulit ay nandyan lagi,” Vergeire said.

However, Vergeire advised the public to refrain from using the term “reinfection.” “Huwag muna po nating gamitin ‘yung term na reinfection because we do not have that much evidence yet that it is really reinfection,” Vergeire said. The DOH has also heard of the first documented case of reinfection in Hong Kong, a 33-year-old male who tested positive for the illness more than four months after his initial infection. Hong Kong researches said that the virus sequencing of the first and second infection varied. This was an indication that the case had acquired the illness twice.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that there is no evidence that those who recovered and produced antibodies against COVID-19 are already protected against a second infection. Due to this, the WHO and the DOH reminded that survivors must still remain careful and observe health protocols at all times.

Source: gmanetwork.com