There’s 3-month window of immunity after COVID-19 infection, says CDC

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the US in an updated guidance says a person who has recovered from the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) will likely be safe from re-infection for three months.

The latest information marks the first acknowledgement of a defined immunity period for people who have recovered from a COVID-19 infection, according to The Hill.

It was learnt that prior research had shown antibodies from recovered patients would fade over the course of a few months, but federal scientists had not previously said what that means for immunity.

The report noted that the CDC previously had recommended that someone recovered from a COVID-19 infection doesn’t need to be tested again for three months so long as that person is asymptomatic, but made clear that any correlation to immunity was still unknown.

The health agency did not make a formal announcement of the findings at the time; rather, the information was included as part of broader guidance about quarantining that was last updated earlier in August 2020.

People who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 need to quarantine for 14 days, except people who have had COVID-19 within the past three months.

The CDC explained that people who have tested positive for COVID-19 do not need to quarantine or get tested again for up to three months as long as they do not develop symptoms again.

“People who develop symptoms again within 3 months of their first bout of COVID-19 may need to be tested again if there is no other cause identified for their symptoms,” it said.

A CDC spokesman was reported to have clarified, that while it is unlikely someone will get re-infected, or infect others during the three-month period, “it’s important these individuals continue to social distance, wear masks, and practice good hand hygiene until scientists know more about long term immunity against COVID.”