# Study published in Cell: Long term immunity likely even after antibody levels fade **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [August 19, 2020, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-published-in-cell-long-term-immunity-likely-even-after-antibody-levels-fade/918464 "2020-08-19T03:21:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 1
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2020, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-published-in-cell-long-term-immunity-likely-even-after-antibody-levels-fade/918464/1 "2020-08-19T03:21:24Z")
A [study](https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(20)31008-4?rss=yes) published in the journal Cell points to a vigorous and lasting immune response even after antibody levels to the virus fade. Researchers examined blood samples from patients who recovered from COVID and found memory T cells in virtually all patients who had recovered from the infection, and many who were merely exposed or who had an asymptomatic infection. A full 100% of samples from those who had a severe infection showed such memory T cells, 87% of those with a mild case, and even 67% of those merely exposed to an ill family member. COVID specific memory T cells were present in 46% of healthy blood donors who had no recognized exposure to the virus. [Memory T cells](https://www.genscript.com/antibody-drug-development-news/memory-t-cells-how-are-they-formed.html#:~:text=Effector%20T%20cells%20are%20developed,cells%20when%20exposed%20to%20antigens.&text=This%20kind%20of%20cells%20is,after%20encountering%20the%20same%20antigen.) form a part of the long term immune response that allows you to mount a vigorous response to a virus you may have previously had months or years prior. Takeaway quote from the summary of the atudy: “Importantly, SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells were detectable in antibody-seronegative exposed family members and convalescent individuals with a history of asymptomatic and mild COVID-19. Our collective dataset shows that SARS-CoV-2 elicits robust, broad and highly functional memory T cell responses, suggesting that natural exposure or infection may prevent recurrent episodes of severe COVID-19.” And translating to more plain English… Importantly, T cells specific to the Coronovirus were detectable in people who had been exposed to family members or sick people and who had even an asymptomatic and or mild case of COVID-19. Our data shows that the Coronavirus elicits robust, broad and highly functional memory T cell responses, suggesting that natural exposure or infection may prevent recurrent episodes of severe COVID-19. Net result, recurrent severe infections seem less likely according to this study. --- _[View the full topic](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/study-published-in-cell-long-term-immunity-likely-even-after-antibody-levels-fade/918464)._