More data emerges on one of the central questions of the Covid-19 epidemic: just how many of us have had the infection and have, as a result, built up some immunity towards it? The question is crucial because it governs whether or not we need to fear a second spike of the epidemic.
It is possible that many people may have effective immunity without the detectable presence of antibodies in their blood
In its latest weekly surveillance report, Public Health England (PHE) revises its estimate for the percentage of the English population which is carrying antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. It now says that 6.5 per cent have had the virus, compared with an estimate of 8.5 per cent it made on 4 June. In London, it estimates that 9.9 per cent have had the virus, down from the 15.6 per cent it estimated on 4 June.
Are levels of antibodies fading and resistance wearing off? These statistics might indicate that immunity to Covid-19 is short-lived, with repercussions for the likely success of a vaccine.
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