Coronavirus Cellular Immunity Found 6-Months Later

A new, non-peer-reviewed study from the UK, found cellular (T cell) immunity against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is likely to be present within most adults 6-months after primary infection.

The research from Public Health England and the UK Coronavirus Immunology Consortium (UK-CIC) on November 2, 2020, demonstrates robust T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 virus peptides at this time point in all participants following asymptomatic or mild/moderate COVID-19 infection. However, a key remaining question is whether a previous infection with SARS-CoV-2 results in immunity to reinfection, and if so for how long, stated these researchers.

Dr. Shamez Ladhani, the study’s author, stated in a press release: “Cellular immunity is a complex but potentially very significant piece of the COVID-19 puzzle, and it’s important that more research be done in this area. However, early results show that T-cell responses may outlast the initial antibody response, which could have a significant impact on COVID vaccine development and immunity research."