Immunity: UK scientists plan to re-infect survivors with COVID-19

*Scientists say there is a lot to be gained from this kind of trial since it will provide insight into the degree to which a previous illness provides future protection

*The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the country has reached a COVID-19 vaccination milestone, as half of all adults have received at least a dose of a vaccine

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In an attempt to gain and provide further insight into the degree to which a previous illness provides future protection in a patient, researchers at Oxford University in the United Kingdom (UK) are embarking on an experiment that is not without some controversy in the medical community.

The experts plan to re-infect a group of people who have recovered from the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, says agency report.

It was learnt the overall objective is to see how much immunity is provided by the previous exposure.

According to the scientists, there is a lot to be gained from this kind of trial since it will provide insight into the degree to which a previous illness provides future protection.

To conduct the trial, more than 60 volunteers between ages 18 and 30 will be quarantined inside Oxford University Hospitals, with test subjects rotating in about every three weeks.

The study is being funded, in part, by the British Government.

Poll: 56 percent say COVID-19 is here to stay

After more than a year, it might not be surprising if people thought this pandemic is never going to end. In fact, a lot of consumers actually do feel that way.

A survey by Healthinsurance.com found that 56 percent of respondents agreed that “COVID-19 is never going away.”

Another 91% said they would miss some aspects of pandemic life when things return to “normal.”

There was a slight increase from April 2020 in the number of people who said they are able to pay their monthly bills, but the survey found saving for an emergency hasn’t improved. Forty-six percent said they don’t have enough money saved to cover medical costs should they come down with an illness like COVID-19.

US hits vaccination milestone, may resume J&J Vaccine distribution Friday

In a related development, the United States (US) has reached a Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination milestone.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports, that half of all adults in the country have received at least a dose of a COVID-19 Vaccine.

Across the US, most states have opened vaccination eligibility today to all adults, at the request of President Joe Biden, report said.

That comes at an opportune time since the rate of infection has begun to rise among the unvaccinated while death rates are reportedly increasing.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Director of CDC, said fewer than 6,000 fully vaccinated people have been infected with the virus in so-called “breakthrough” cases.

However, none of them got seriously ill or died from the virus, according to the CDC chief.

Meanwhile, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and President Biden’s chief COVID-19 Medical Adviser, has predicted that the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine could resume distribution by Friday, April 23.

COnsumerConnect had reported that the vaccine distribution efforts in the US were paused last week, and health officials subsequently, began investigating six reports of recipients suffering blood clots.

Fauci, while on ABC’s “This Week” programme stated: “I would think that we’re not gonna go beyond Friday, in the extension of this pause.”

A CDC advisory committee also met last week to review vaccine data but did not issue a recommendation because it said it needed more information.

Out of more than 7 million people, six women who received the vaccine formed blood clots in the brain and one died.