If getting affected by the COVID-19 virus was not enough, there are now various rumors floating around that you are not immune to the virus, if you get infected once, you can get infected again? Is there any ounce of truth in it? There are conflicting notions on the COVID-19 such as can cold weather and snow help the spread of Coronavirus? Let us discuss the same in this article.
Let’s discuss the bad news, most people may already be affected by Coronavirus, and that is why the mortality rate is just 4%. Let’s take the case of China, once the virus started affecting the general population, with measures such as strict containment the recovery numbers started climbing at a faster rate than the mortality rates or the new cases. So, if you have been waiting for the good news, this is it, yes you may get affected by the virus but the chances are you may recover from the same. But what we are discussing here is, what next, that is okay we do recover but is there any guarantee that we won’t get affected by the same, again? Let’s explore that here.
Is There a Chance of Getting Re-affected by Coronavirus after Recovery?
Catching any virus will mean that the person has gained immunity against that strain of the virus, well, at least for the time being. But a case in Osaka, Japan proved the opposite, she was discharged from the hospital but she tested positive again. More instances proved the same. But, there is no fool-proof evidence for the same so we should restrain from jumping into conclusions. A faulty testing system may provide the result. So, the virus may lay dormant for some time and then re-emerged again.
The (CDC) or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention asserts that it is difficult to pin down the immune system, it’s response differs from one disease to another. It is noticeable that COVID-19 may impact the lung capacity of patients, it is seen in patients who recover from the novel Coronavirus and this may make them more susceptible to a second bout of infection.
I Have Recovered But am I Still Infectious?
Unfortunately, the jury is still out on this one. A provisional research report conducted by Germany on COVID-19 by comparing it with the 2003 SARS outbreak. What is the recovery time for the coronavirus disease? Unlike the SARS outbreak, the novel Coronavirus is said to peak early and that COVID-19 patients who have mild symptoms become can reverse their condition in 10 days after they get infected. But a study done by four medical professionals who were treated by Wuhan hospital, revealed that traces of the virus may linger on and persist in the body for at least two weeks. However, since the patients were no longer showing any symptoms such as coughing or sneezing, the risk of transmission was lower. Another not very optimistic study by the Lancet medical journal revealed that the virus persisted in a Chinese patient’s respiratory tract for a whopping 37 days and that means it stays more than the 24 days status that is seen in people suffering from critical disease status.
The Immunity Question – How Long Does the Immunity of COVID-19 Last?
Usually, when you are infected, your immunity for that particular infection increases so the risk of re-infection is much lower unless your immune system is badly affected. But that is generalized information, whether it holds for COVID-19 too remains to be seen. The virus is too new and the data for the same is too less.
One thing that may help establish more information about immunity is by formulating serological tests specifically for the antibodies of the COVID-19 pathogen the SARS-CoV2.
This will help throw more insight into individual immune-system responses. It will also help the researchers know exactly how it impacts the total population. This puts the spotlight on those patient’s health graphs after they recover. We haven’t been able to come up with such type of tests, well at least not yet, but the good news is scientists are working round the clock to come up with a test and conduct trails on them, one such Trail from Singapore have already started.
“I Have Been Infected, but Now I am recovered – Can I Go Back to Work?”
A recurring question on the mind of a recovering COVID-19 patient. How would you know you have recovered and go back to your regular work?
Can Coronavirus Disease be Caught from a Person Who Has No Symptoms?
We all know the symptoms of the COVID-19 virus. But how can one define the recovery of the same? The absence of the disease entails not having fever for three days and not taking medications for lowering fever, a gradual improvement in the symptoms such as coughing or shortness of breath, and wait for seven days since the symptoms showed up.
Also, the follow-up negative swab tests will finally give you an all-clear diagnosis. So, the patient can finally mean the end of self-isolation, and he/she can resume a normal life and go back to work.
Focus on the facts and the important information on the same such as How much time does Coronavirus stays on different surfaces? And how can you follow proper guidelines to stay safe and avoid getting infected? Well, you can practice social distancing and stay safe at home until the government provides further guidelines.
