The SARS-CoV-2 virus has led some to claim re-infection. This raises questions about the effectiveness of vaccinations and, most importantly, whether countries can cope with the second wave.
Experts have already analyzed who is re-infected, Qadin.Net reports citing publika.az. These are people with various disorders of the immune system, as well as those taking immunosuppressants. It is believed that people with weakened immune systems can become infected with COVID-19 again and quickly.
"Even after the virus dies, fragments of nucleic acid (RNA) remain inside the cells. Yes, recurrent infections have been proven, but such cases are very rare and apply to people with "killed" immune systems. That means we're talking about an exception to the rule, "said O Men Don, a professor at Seoul National University and a member of the WHO's Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Infectious Threats.
At the same time, other virologists ridicule reports that the average person is re-infected. They see it as a "victim" of wrongdoing. Because in the United States, the results of coronavirus tests of some patients were both positive and negative.
The biggest danger is not re-infection, but antigenic drift. It is already known that the new type of coronavirus changes at a rate of 26 amino acids per year, which is twice as fast as influenza viruses. Foreign geneticists are closely monitoring the S protein in the SARS-CoV-2 filter. It is still stable and gives hope that the vaccines will be effective. However, according to various estimates, in a year, at most two S proteins will change so much that new immunizations are required.
In any case, the human body has memory cells against pathogens. They remember the information about the "viruses they killed" by defeating them. Although antibodies die over time, special memory cells retain a copy (membrane marker) that aims to fight future relapse.
In other words, humanity will be able to cope with COVID-19, but not as quickly as some scientists and political elites promise. There are signals from Europe that the second autumn-winter wave will be more dangerous than the first. After that, the number of infections will exceed the capacity of the national health service.