There's "no evidence" coronavirus survivors can't be reinfected, WHO says
The World Health Organization (WHO) said there is "no evidence" that survivors of COVID-19 cannot be reinfected with the virus. In a statement Saturday morning, WHO warned that and false positive testing that could make the documentation inaccurate and put more people at risk of infection.
"People who assume that they are immune to a second infection because they have received a positive test result may ignore public health advice," WHO said. "The use of such certificates may therefore increase the risks of continued transmission."
Related: COVID-19 Survivors May Face New Challenges Post-Recovery
WHO said it supports antibody testing and is continuing to review research on antibody responses to the virus, which have so far shown that survivors have antibodies to the virus. However, not every survivor has the same levels of antibodies in their blood, "suggesting that cellular immunity may also be critical for recovery," the agency said, adding that the accuracy and reliability of lab tests for antibodies need to be improved.
Although there are 120 projects around the world working toward a vaccine, only five have been approved for clinical trials on humans. In addition to vaccines, researchers are trialing existing drugs as potential treatments for the new coronavirus disease, including long-trusted remedies for killer pathogens including Ebola, malaria and HIV.
Saturday Sessions: The Killers perform "Blowback"
Saturday Sessions: The Killers perform Tom Petty's "The Waiting"
