Re:Surviving the coronavirus, then testing positive again
by ajross on Friday March 13, 2020 @12:03PM
(#22568353)
Viral reinfection is a known thing. Immunology is just, well, really complicated. One person's antibodies may have worked against the same virus their family member's did, but not against some slightly mutated strain that arrives after circulating for a month. Or frankly, testing isn't perfect and it's possible he had the flu before and never had COVID-19 at all.
In general, populations as a whole develop herd immunity to viruses reasonably quickly. This process is understood. Individual case data is always crazy.
So: 1. Sometimes, 2. Probably, 3. Yes, 4. Maybe, 5. It'll definitely happen eventually, 6. Yes, almost certainly.
And indeed, it will never go away, just like H1N1 flus have continued to circulate ever since the 1918 pandemic. But after a while, immune response and vaccination regimes will turn it into a nuisance.
In general, populations as a whole develop herd immunity to viruses reasonably quickly. This process is understood. Individual case data is always crazy.
So: 1. Sometimes, 2. Probably, 3. Yes, 4. Maybe, 5. It'll definitely happen eventually, 6. Yes, almost certainly.
And indeed, it will never go away, just like H1N1 flus have continued to circulate ever since the 1918 pandemic. But after a while, immune response and vaccination regimes will turn it into a nuisance.