There's "no evidence" coronavirus survivors can't be reinfected, WHO says
by Sophie Lewis
April 25, 2020 / 12:52 PM / CBS News
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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 antibodies may not adequately protect survivors, leaving them vulnerable to a second coronavirus infection.
The warning came as several countries, including the United States, are considering allowing people who have recovered to carry "immunity passports" or "risk-free certificates." That documentation would allow survivors to return to work and other activities under the assumption that they are immune from the virus. ...
April 24, 2000
WHO: "Immunity passports" in the context of COVID-19
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WHO has published guidance on adjusting public health and social measures for the next phase of the COVID-19 response.1 Some governments have suggested that the detection of antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, could serve as the basis for an “immunity passport” or “risk-free certificate” that would enable individuals to travel or to return to work assuming that they are protected against re-infection. There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection....
Like any illness, those with underlying conditions will be hardest hit. This one we just don't know enough about it, maybe the healthy people getting sick are outliers, of maybe this virus is unlike any virus we've encountered.
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
On 4/26/2020 at 10:45 AM, A Hit With The Ladies said:
Maybe it's a latent-dormant thing, like chickenpox and shingles. Who knows!
I started pondering this last night. Granted, those are in the herpes family, not coronavirus, but the weirdness of this whole situation makes me wonder if those who aren't getting immediately sick from having it will develop symptoms later during a time of immune suppression.
Like any illness, those with underlying conditions will be hardest hit. This one we just don't know enough about it, maybe the healthy people getting sick are outliers, of maybe this virus is unlike any virus we've encountered.
Or perhaps they have an undiagnosed underlying condition. Something that I've thought about
Specializes in NICU, PICU, Transport, L&D, Hospice.
6 minutes ago, Nurse SMS said:
Yep. Lots of people walking around with intermittent hypertension, with undiagnosed diabetes, with heart disease that hasn't revealed itself yet.
Because lots of those people may not have access to medical providers and routine preventative or diagnostic health care. The disparity in our health system is at least partly responsible.
Specializes in Critical care, tele, Medical-Surgical.
2 hours ago, Daisy4RN said:
From the WHO:
As the traveler did not report having visited the market linked to most of the other cases, it is vital that investigations continue to identify the source of infection. To date, China has not reported any cases of infection among healthcare workers or contacts of the cases. Based on the available information there is no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission. No additional cases have been detected since 3 January 2020 in China.
This is the first exported case of novel coronavirus from Wuhan city, China. Since the initial report of cases in Wuhan city on 31 December 2019, 41 cases have a preliminary diagnosis of 2019-nCoV infection, including 1 death in a person with severe underlying medical conditions (for more information, please see the Disease Outbreak News published on 12 January 2020 ).
As the traveler did not report having visited the market linked to most of the other cases, it is vital that investigations continue to identify the source of infection. To date, China has not reported any cases of infection among healthcare workers or contacts of the cases. Based on the available information there is no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission. No additional cases have been detected since 3 January 2020 in China.
Additional investigation is needed to ascertain the presence of human-to-human transmission, modes of transmission, common source of exposure and the presence of asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic cases that are undetected. It is critical to review all available information to fully understand the potential transmissibility among humans.
Because lots of those people may not have access to medical providers and routine preventative or diagnostic health care. The disparity in our health system is at least partly responsible.
Also, sometimes you can't catch those diseases until it gets bad. Can't believe the poster on the first page was so selfish. Many people will get horribly sick if we all go back to normal.
Taiwan told the WHO on Dec 30 that the virus was spread human to human
Jan 14 the WHO stated no human to human spread
Jan 30 Trump bans travel from China
WHO response was that banning travel was not necessary
....
It appears that the WHO declared a pandemic after we were all aware of this. They have failed to provide new or inovative discussion in regards to covid 19, other than naming the virus. I think they are being extra cautious in stating that there is no evidence that antibodies protect against reinfection. That's a given since this is a new virus. They are waiting for more research on this to provide accurate information or just to cover their behind. It will be interesting to learn if Korea has experienced cases of reinfection or if this could be an error with testing. Perhaps the patient's never recovered completely ?
My understanding is that most corona virus or flu virus respond with production of antibodies that protects for some time, if not indefinitely. That appears to be the case with patient's receiving plasma from patient's that have recovered from covid 19. At this time, the WHO is all we have to help provide guidelines among all countries and to intervene in coutries that don't have developed health care systems in place to tackle this. The Who should be funded, but they need an overahaul in administration, goal setting, and all of their functions in the future. In my opinion their overall performance during this pandemic is a failure and has done more to add to the confusion. I'm hopeful they will make up for this.
lifelearningrn, BSN, RN
2,622 Posts
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/warning-covid-19-could-be-linked-to-emerging-serious-medical-conditions-in-children-according-to-british-medical-authorities-
Healthy children and adults are suffering too.
Like any illness, those with underlying conditions will be hardest hit. This one we just don't know enough about it, maybe the healthy people getting sick are outliers, of maybe this virus is unlike any virus we've encountered.