A new study from China reveals the unsettling news that antibodies against the novel coronavirus COVID-19 don't last very long.
According to Business Insider, coronavirus antibodies dwindled to undetectable levels after just two or three months for 40% of asymptomatic people.
Of the study subjects who did show symptoms, the antibodies completely disappeared for 13% of them in the same time period.
Overall, asymptomatic people showed "a weaker immune response" in the months after they were exposed to the coronavirus.
For those trying to develop a vaccine, a poor immune response from people who have recovered from the virus is unwelcome news.
Dr. Anthony Fauci said earlier this month that immune responses to the coronavirus are inconsistent between different patients.
I have examples of people who were clearly infected, who are antibody-negative.
Dr. Anthony Fauci National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases He added that those people likely have antibodies — just not enough for the test to detect.
Other recovered patients, meanwhile, show high antibody counts.
