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A12 HEALTH
Thursday 24 december 2020
Studies find having COVID-19 may protect against reinfection

AP Chief Medical Writer two private labs in the
Two new studies give en- United States. Only 0.3% of
couraging evidence that those who initially had anti-
having COVID-19 may offer bodies later tested positive
some protection against for the coronavirus, com-
future infections. Research- pared with 3% of those who
ers found that people who lacked such antibodies.
made antibodies to the "It's very gratifying" to see
coronavirus were much less that the Oxford researchers
likely to test positive again saw the same risk reduc-
for up to six months and tion — 10 times less likely to
maybe longer. have a second infection if
The results bode well for antibodies were present,
vaccines, which provoke Sharpless said.
the immune system to His institute's report was
make antibodies — sub- posted on a website scien-
stances that attach to a tists use to share research
virus and help it be elimi- and is under review at a
nated. major medical journal.
Researchers found that The findings are "not a sur-
people with antibodies prise ... but it's really reassur-
from natural infections ing because it tells people
were "at much lower risk ... FILE - This 2020 electron microscope image provided by the National Institute of Allergy and In- that immunity to the virus
on the order of the same fectious Diseases - Rocky Mountain Laboratories shows SARS-CoV-2 virus particles which cause is common," said Joshua
COVID-19, isolated from a patient in the U.S., emerging from the surface of cells cultured in a lab.
kind of protection you'd According to two new studies released on Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, people who have antibodies Wolf, an infectious disease
get from an effective vac- from infection with the coronavirus seem less likely to get a second infection for several months specialist at St. Jude Chil-
cine," of getting the virus and maybe longer. (NIAID-RML via AP) dren's Research Hospital in
again, said Dr. Ned Sharp- Memphis who had no role
less, director of the U.S. Na- of tests. One is a blood test cine, involved more than symptoms. in either study.
tional Cancer Institute. for antibodies, which can 12,500 health workers at That contrasts with the Antibodies themselves may
"It's very, very rare" to get linger for many months af- Oxford University Hospitals 11,364 workers who initially not be giving the protec-
reinfected, he said. ter infection. The other type in the United Kingdom. did not have antibodies; tion, they might just be a
The institute's study had of test uses nasal or other Among the 1,265 who had 223 of them tested positive sign that other parts of the
nothing to do with cancer samples to detect the virus coronavirus antibodies at for infection in the roughly immune system, such as T
— many federal research- itself or bits of it, suggesting the outset, only two had six months that followed. cells, are able to fight off
ers have shifted to corona- current or recent infection. positive results on tests to The National Cancer Insti- any new exposures to the
virus work because of the One study, published detect active infection in tute study involved more virus, he said. "We don't
pandemic. Wednesday by the New the following six months than 3 million people who know how long-lasting this
Both studies used two types England Journal of Medi- and neither developed had antibody tests from immunity is," Wolf added.q

Russia cuts size of COVID-19 vaccine study, stops enrollment

enrollment of volunteers. Trials Organizations, said. In a statement, the Health
The decision comes a week "They simply won't be able Ministry said that interim
after developers said en- to gather (the necessary) study data on the vaccine's
rollment of study volunteers statistics," she said. safety and effectiveness
has slowed since Russia be- Russia has been widely criti- was considered as part of
gan giving out the Sputnik cized for giving Sputnik V the decision to reduce the
V vaccine while the late- regulatory approval in Au- study size. The ministry said
stage study was still con- gust after the vaccine only the study would continue
tinuing. They also cited ethi- had been tested on a few and participants will be
cal concerns about giving dozen people. Two weeks monitored for at least six
a dummy shot to some of later, the 40,000-volunteeer more months.
the volunteers. The study study was announced. Gintsburg had suggested
size was cut to about 31,000 Despite warnings to wait for giving the vaccine to all
from 40,000 participants. the study's results, Russian volunteers who received
Alexander Gintsburg, head authorities started offering the placebo shot, but the
of the Gamaleya Center, it to people in risk groups ministry said there would
the state-run medical re- — such as medical work- be no "unblinding" of the
search institute that devel- ers and teachers — within study at this point.
oped Sputnik V, said that weeks of approval. In other words, volunteers
many of those who re- President Vladimir Putin, will not be told whether
ceived dummy shots had who has publicly hailed they received real or dum-

Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting via video figured it out and gotten Sputnik V, ordered the Rus- my vaccines.
conference in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020. vaccinated. sian government this month Kirill Dmitriev, head of the
(Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) If large numbers of volun- to start a large-scale immu- Russian Direct Investment
teers in the placebo group nization campaign. By mid- Fund that bankrolled Sput-
By DARIA LITVINOVA Asso- Wednesday to cut the size drop out, it could affect the December, over 150,000 nik V, noted that U.S. drug-
ciated Press of a study of a domesti- results, Svetlana Zavidova, people had been vacci- maker Johnson & Johnson
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia's cally developed coronavi- executive director of Rus- nated, according to Gints- recently reduced the size
Health Ministry agreed rus vaccine and to stop the sia's Association of Clinical burg. of its vaccine trial. q