The World Health Organization has stated that there is no evidence suggesting that patients who have recovered from COVID-19 cannot get reinfected.
On Friday, April 24, the international health agency released a statement addressing the possibility of using the detection of antibodies as a basis for an “immunity passport” or “risk-free certificate.” However, it emphasized that it will continue to review the evidence on antibody responses to the infection.
The statement from WHO included the following points:
– Studies show that people who have recovered from the infection have antibodies to the virus, but some individuals have low levels of neutralizing antibodies, suggesting that cellular immunity may also be crucial for recovery.
– As of April 24, 2020, no study has assessed whether the presence of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 provides immunity to subsequent infection in humans.
– Laboratory tests detecting antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 need further validation to ensure accuracy and reliability, as inaccurate results could have serious consequences for control efforts.
– These tests must also distinguish accurately between past infections from SARS-CoV-2 and those caused by other human coronaviruses.
WHO also addressed the issue of governments considering the issuance of documents attesting to individuals’ immunity based on serological tests. It highlighted the need for additional validation of these tests to ensure their accuracy and reliability.
Furthermore, the international health agency pointed out that while it supports studies aiming to determine the percentage of people with detectable COVID-19 antibodies, these studies are not designed to confirm immunity to secondary infections.