Oxford Study: COVID-19 Infection Provides 6-Month Immunity for Most People

This conclusion is based on the results of regular coronavirus tests on 12,180 healthcare workers at the Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) over a 30-week period.

"This ongoing study involving a large cohort of healthcare workers has shown that Covid-19 infection offers protection against reinfection for most people for at least six months (...). 89 of those who had tested negative (for antibodies) contracted the virus" with symptoms. "(...) We can be confident that, at least in the short term, most people who get Covid-19 will not get it again (...). Antibody levels decline over time, but this latest study shows there is some immunity in those who have been infected," said one of the authors, Professor David Eyre of the University of Oxford, in a statement.

The World Health Organization is pleased, saying it has worked on samples within the general population or among healthcare workers, with 50 countries where studies are being conducted on antibody responses.

"It’s really good news to see that we’re seeing sustained levels of immune response in humans so far. (...) This also gives us hope on the vaccine side, that if we start to see similar immune responses from the vaccine, we may be able to hope for longer periods of protection," said the WHO’s emergency situations chief, Michael Ryan, at an online press conference from Geneva.