Babies who have had a SarsCoV2 infection develop antibodies to the virus that last for at least 7 months. This is shown in a study by the University of Texas in Houston, published in Pediatrics. The researchers looked at data from 218 children between the ages of 5 and 19. The children underwent three separate blood draws: the first sample was collected when vaccines for this age group were not yet available, the second during the Delta wave and the third during the fourth Omicron wave.
In 96% of the children who had had the infection, the antibodies were detectable up to seven months after the diagnosis of Covid, but on the third blood test, 58% were negative for antibodies induced by the infection. However, for the researchers, the results of the study should not lead parents to think that vaccination is not necessary if their children have contracted the virus.
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“The adult literature shows that natural infection, with the addition of vaccine-induced protection, offers the best defense against Covid-19,” he said. Sarah Messiah, among the authors of the research. “Although our study is encouraging as it tells us that a certain amount of natural antibodies persist for at least 6 months – he explains – we do not know the absolute protection threshold. We have an excellent tool available to offer children additional protection, let’s take advantage of it” .
Syncytial virus, vaccinate the mother to protect the newborn
by Letizia Gabaglio
