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WHO says we can't assume previous infection means future immunity. https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/immunity-passports-in-the-context-of-covid

by DanBC 7y ago

WHO says we can't assume previous infection means future immunity. https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/immunity-passports-in-the-context-of-covid-19 https://www.who.int/news-room/commentaries/detail/immunity-p...

drstewart 7y ago
That doesn't mean it doesn't, it just means it isn't scientifically proven yet.
theferalrobot 7y ago
No-one is assuming - we are weighing evidence and there is far more evidence that it does provide at least some immunity than none - it seems oddly disingenuous of WHO to make statements like this because they know how it will be interpreted.
SpicyLemonZest 7y ago
The WHO says that we can't assume someone is 100% guaranteed to be immune when they have antibodies. That's true, and it's an important flaw in the idea of immunity passports that they're tackling - you couldn't send people with immunity passports into quarantined nursing homes or allow them to attend potential superspreading events. Herd immunity doesn't require perfect immunity or a 100% guarantee of it. No reasonable expert doubts that herd immunity is possible, although some argue it's too costly.
nodesocket 7y ago
Not sure why I am getting downvoted, I guess covid-19 shaming is a thing. From what I've read people who appear to get it again is actually just a relapse of the original infection[1]. [1] https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/491988-fauci-recovered-coronavirus-patients-will-likely https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-c...
- cm2187 7y ago
  I must say that for a community of rather technical people when not scientists and engineers, hackernews has a surprisingly high level of FUD-pushers and doomers on that topic. I put that on account of anxiety.
deleted 7y ago
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badfrog 7y ago
The key part of that press release is: > As of 24 April 2020, no study has evaluated whether the presence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 confers immunity to subsequent infection by this virus in humans. The most likely thing is that it does mean immunity, but the WHO isn't going to say that without clear evidence.
TallGuyShort 7y ago
You can be reinfected. It sounds like there's already some evidence suggesting that reinfection is at least significantly less likely than initial infection.

by DanBC 7y ago

drstewart 7y ago

That doesn't mean it doesn't, it just means it isn't scientifically proven yet.

theferalrobot 7y ago

No-one is assuming - we are weighing evidence and there is far more evidence that it does provide at least some immunity than none - it seems oddly disingenuous of WHO to make statements like this because they know how it will be interpreted.

SpicyLemonZest 7y ago

The WHO says that we can't assume someone is 100% guaranteed to be immune when they have antibodies. That's true, and it's an important flaw in the idea of immunity passports that they're tackling - you couldn't send people with immunity passports into quarantined nursing homes or allow them to attend potential superspreading events. Herd immunity doesn't require perfect immunity or a 100% guarantee of it. No reasonable expert doubts that herd immunity is possible, although some argue it's too costly.

nodesocket 7y ago

Not sure why I am getting downvoted, I guess covid-19 shaming is a thing. From what I've read people who appear to get it again is actually just a relapse of the original infection[1]. [1] https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-cures/491988-fauci-recovered-coronavirus-patients-will-likely https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/prevention-c...

cm2187 7y ago
I must say that for a community of rather technical people when not scientists and engineers, hackernews has a surprisingly high level of FUD-pushers and doomers on that topic. I put that on account of anxiety.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

badfrog 7y ago

The key part of that press release is: > As of 24 April 2020, no study has evaluated whether the presence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 confers immunity to subsequent infection by this virus in humans. The most likely thing is that it does mean immunity, but the WHO isn't going to say that without clear evidence.

TallGuyShort 7y ago

You can be reinfected. It sounds like there's already some evidence suggesting that reinfection is at least significantly less likely than initial infection.