4 ms·
>"Thus, we performed a longitudinal assessment of individuals recovered from mildly symptomatic COVID-19 to determine if they develop and sustain immunological
by peter_d_sherman 6y ago
>"Thus, we performed a longitudinal assessment of individuals recovered from mildly symptomatic COVID-19 to determine if they develop and sustain immunological memory against the virus.
We found that recovered individuals developed SARS-CoV-2-specific IgG antibody and neutralizing plasma, as well as virus-specific memory B and T cells that not only persisted, but in some cases increased numerically over three months following symptom onset.
Furthermore, the SARS-CoV-2-specific memory lymphocytes exhibited characteristics associated with potent antiviral immunity: memory T cells secreted IFN-γ and expanded upon antigen re-encounter, while memory B cells expressed receptors capable of neutralizing virus when expressed as antibodies.
These findings demonstrate that mild COVID-19 elicits memory lymphocytes that persist and display functional hallmarks associated with antiviral protective immunity."
PDS: In other words, having, or having once had, a mild case of Covid-19 / CoronaVirus -- means that there's a very good chance that the individual or individuals so affected will have antibodies protecting them (and by default, others) from it in the future!
AKA "Herd Immunity".
Or phrased another way, once you get it or have had it and get through it, once you're over it, the chances of you getting it again are much lower than the first time.
But, wait, where have I seen this pattern before?
Oh, that's right -- this pattern is common to most diseases!
That is the generalized pattern of disease (for most diseases) is this:
Once you have a disease, and get over it, usually (but not always, but usually), you've got much lower odds of getting it a second time, and if and when you do, the odds are such that the second time will be milder or less severe.
That's a basic rule, a basic principle of disease that every self-respecting medical practitioner should be taught on day one in class one of medical college!
(Phrased another way: "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." (with my apologies to Nietzsche! <g>))
Also, the above principle is the underlying principle which gives the idea of vaccination its efficiacy, that is, it's the underlying idea of what makes vaccines work.
That is because vaccines are typically based on injecting weakened strains of a disease into the body, such that the body's own defense systems "learn" how to fight this weakened strain!
That is, if you say you believe in vaccines and you say you don't believe in the above principle (of disease in the body at an earlier point in time causing immunity to that same disease later) -- then you are in self-contradiction!
Either you say that the above principle does work (in which case you must also believe in Herd Immunity, because Herd Immunity is based on the same principle!), or you're saying that you DO NOT believe in vaccines (because you do not believe in this underlying principle!)
All I know is that many in the media, social, news and otherwise -- will be shown to be inconsistent in their beliefs via this.
You cannot have the concept of vaccination working -- without the equal-and-opposite concept of Herd Immunity also being valid.
And if Herd Immunity works -- then what's the necessity for those so immunized to be vaccinated?
There isn't!
Logic 101...
- Fjolsvith 6y agoThis is why I tell people I'm practicing my herd immunity when I don't wear a mask.
- shadowgovt 6y agoIt works the other way. The mask mostly blocks particles leaving you if you already have COVID. You're not "practising herd immunity," you're forcing it on others without their consent.
- Fjolsvith 6y agoThis well-stated argument shows how you're forcing other's social responsibility to protect themselves on me: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24290681 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24290681
- shadowgovt 6y agoCorrect. This is SOP during a pandemic. It's something that happens sometimes when we live in a society and are faced with a disease with chance of permanent injury or death and no cure. In some cultures, a person who was sick had to live outside of town and yell "UNCLEAN!" to warn the uninfected if they had a transmissible disease. And hell, this country exiled Typhoid Mary to a relatively small island for the protection of everybody else. This disease isn't quite infectious enough to necessitate that, but a piece of cloth is a pretty simple and effective compromise until we have widely distributed efficient enough testing to know with some certainty in a short timeframe whether a person is infected or not. If it's too much a burden to bear, you can always remove yourself from the presence of mainstream society until such testing is available.
- Fjolsvith 6y agoOr, those vulnerable (and we cannot now pretend we don't know who they are) can remove themselves and not place the risk of their infection in the hands of others. Quarantine is where you lock up sick people. Tyranny is where you lock down healthy ones. And, as far as SOP during a pandemic, I disagree. This is the first time in the last 50 years (that I've been alive) that I've seen this happen in the US.