When we recover from an infection, our immune system generates a series of antibodies that protect us against a new contagion. This is what happens with COVID-19, however, one of the biggest doubts scientists have is the duration of these defenses in the body. A study from the University of Texas at Houston (USA) has now revealed that this time could be at least seven months in children.
In this research, which has been published in the journal Pediatrics, three blood draws separated in time from 218 Texas children, who were between the ages of five and 19, were analyzed. These samples were taken before the launch of the vaccines and during a period when the alpha, delta and omicron variants were circulating.
It found that 96% of children and young people who had developed COVID-19 continued to show antibodies in their blood at least seven months later, although 58% tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at the third and last sample. In this study, the impact of vaccine protection was not taken into account, because mass vaccination had not yet begun.
The duration of antibodies is the same for all
The study is interesting in order to know how long children who have been infected with the coronavirus could be naturally protected, in addition to helping to make decisions about when this age group should receive their booster doses against COVID-19 .
Even if children have passed COVID, it is important that they also get vaccinated, as it is the best defense against the disease
In addition, the findings are very important because no notable changes in antibody duration were found, including depending on whether the children were asymptomatic or had more or less severe COVID symptoms, whether they were a healthy weight or obese, or depending on their sex, which are some of the variables that had been related to the duration of protection.
“The literature for adults shows us that natural infection, plus vaccine-induced protection, provides the best defense against COVID-19. There has been a misunderstanding on the part of some parents who think that just because their child has had COVID-19, they are now protected and do not need to be vaccinated. While our study is encouraging because a certain amount of natural antibodies last at least six months in children, we still don’t know the absolute threshold of protection. We have a great tool available to give children more protection when they get vaccinated, so if your child is eligible, take advantage of it,” said Sarah Messiah, lead author of the study.
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