What the immune response to the coronavirus says about the prospects for a vaccine

What the immune response to the coronavirus says about the prospects for a vaccine

Can we become immune to SARS-CoV-2?

Right now, we just don’t know whether the human immune system can mount a lasting defence against SARS-CoV-2. The question is crucial to understanding whether a vaccine will provide adequate protection, whether those who have recovered from COVID-19 can return to pre-pandemic behaviours and how readily the world can reduce the threat posed by the disease. A handful of accounts of reinfection — people who recovered from COVID-19, only to test positive for the disease again later — has fed concerns that immunity might be short-lived. Researchers say there is one big reason to be optimistic: SARS-CoV-2 seems to trigger a comfortingly normal reaction from our immune systems. “We’re seeing great immune responses and fantastic-looking antibodies. We just don’t know the longevity of that response yet,” says viral immunologist Mehul Suthar. “Unfortunately, that will take time.”
Nature | 8 min read