New Scientist: We finally know why some people seem immune to catching covid-19

[FakeNoose]

Unique cell responses mean some people may be immune to catching the coronavirus, even if they are unvaccinated



Link: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2436182-we-finally-know-why-some-people-seem-immune-to-catching-covid-19/

Archived (no paywall) link: https://archive.ph/CHLbN

Deliberately exposing people to the coronavirus behind covid-19 in a so-called challenge study has helped us understand why some people seem to be immune to catching the infection. As part of the first such covid-19 study, carried out in 2021, a group of international researchers looked at 16 people with no known health conditions who had neither tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus nor been vaccinated against it.

The original variant of SARS-CoV-2 was sprayed up their noses. Nasal and blood samples were taken before this exposure and then six to seven times over the 28 days after. They also had SARS-CoV-2 tests twice a day.

The participants fell into three groups, says team member Sarah Teichmann at Cambridge Stem Cell Institute in the UK. In one group, six people tested positive in both of their daily tests for more than two days, while also having symptoms. In another, three participants tested positive in one of their twice-a-day-tests, but not the other, for no more than two days, without symptoms. In the final group, seven people consistently tested negative for the coronavirus. In total, the researchers looked at more than 600,000 blood and nasal cells across all the individuals.

They found that in the second and third groups, the participants produced interferon – a substance that helps the immune system fight infections – in their blood before it was produced in their nasopharynx, the upper part of the nose behind the throat where the nasal samples were taken from. The interferon response, when it did occur in the nasopharynx, was actually higher in the noses of those in the second group than the third, says Teichmann.

- more at link -

Wow! This sounds like a breakthrough ... Hurray for science!

[Nictuku]

1. Interesting.....

It makes me wonder if people who have undergone interferon treatment (for Hep C) have a higher immunity.

If so, it would be one of the only good side-effects of that horrible treatment.

[misanthrope]

8. I am sure that your experience

would tell you that interferon therapy as a prophylactic for COVID-19 would be untenable. Not to say there might not be something possible from this knowledge down the road but we can't dole out interferon to stamp out COVID-19.

[Nictuku]

45. That is not what I meant at all

I did not mean as a treatment, I was wondering if you had the treatment in the past if it had any effect on your overall immunity to Covid-19.

[misanthrope]

46. Gotcha**nm

**

[sdfernando]

31. Well I am a personally acquainted with someone

That had Hep C. He went through treatment and has cleared the infection. I don’t know if it was interferon… but he has had Covid at least 4 times, once needing monoclonal antibodies……so I doubt it is preventing Covid

Now, I live with the guy and have never seemed to get it.

[2naSalit]

2. Very interesting!

[CANADIANBEAVER69]

3. I have never had covid.

I have been vaccinated with Moderna twice and only 1 booster shot.

[slightlv]

6. Neither i nor mt husband have had covid.

To be sure, we've been valued with Moderna each time a new Vax came out. Husband is super cautious, even wiping down handles to this day. Me, I'm careful but not obsessive about it.

Hes had a major heart attack, but no chronic illness other than BP.

I have lupus and fibromyalgia as well as high bp. I've never figured out how we stayed covid free. Thanks for the info... maybe we fit the interference category. Still gonna be careful tho!

[slightlv]

7. Auto correct on an Android phone sucks.

Sorry for misspellings and weird words above.

[CANADIANBEAVER69]

9. yeah, I have type 2 diabetes so I know I wanted to get the vaccine

My husband also hasn't had it either.

[SaintLouisBlues]

20. I believe 40 percent of covid cases have no symptons, so maybe you had it.

I tested positive with no symptons. Only took the test because I flew to see my elderly parents.

[CANADIANBEAVER69]

23. I suppose the only way to know is if a blood test

shows it in my system?

[paleotn]

27. Affirmative.

But usually only for a period of time post infection. Eventually, no sign of past infection is detectable.

[FakeNoose]

25. I've heard of false positives, but in my case I got a false negative

I was exposed to a mild Covid strain at a Thanksgiving family reunion in 2022. I'd already had 2 vaccine shots and didn't realize my nephew was carrying the virus. So long story short - I came down with very mild symptoms only a few days after Thanksgiving.

Took the home test and it was negative BUT the next day I lost my sense of taste and smell. Normal temperature, no other symptoms, just very tired for about 3 days. And I was hoarse but didn't have a sore throat. After about 5 days it all went away, got my voice back. Covid was gone, and I never got a positive reading on my home Covid test kit.

I think this means that the test kits have a threshold that's higher than I experienced. If I had gotten a positive reading, I certainly would have gone to the hospital. But as it was, I didn't even feel sick.

[SammyWinstonJack]

22. Same here. Twice vaccinated with moderna and one booster. Never caught covid

[DontBelieveEastisEas]

37. Or had it and lacked symptoms? nt

[ananda]

28. I had all the vaccines, and have never gotten Covid.

...

[DontBelieveEastisEas]

38. Or had it and lacked symptoms? nt

[ananda]

44. I don't think I ever had it.

After the first year and a half of Covid,
I had myself tested for the antibodies,
and it came out negative.

I also got tested for it several times,
all negative.

[progressoid]

4. Nah - - - everyone knows it's because of Bill Gates and the 5G

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

5. The variability of different

people's immune systems. Quite interesting.

[Prairie_Seagull]

10. I had the Hong Kong flu in 68/69 time frame and

damn near died.

Have had covid in my home twice and never caught the virus then or since. Knocking wood.

[llmart]

18. I clearly remember the Hong Kong flu.

My then husband came down with it and was sicker than a dog. I took care of him and of course, we shared the same bed and lived in a tiny apartment. I worked in a department with ten men in an open room and I never came down with that flu. I have never had Covid but I did get vaccinated - all Pfizer. When my two children were little and in school I never caught anything that they would get. My son was exposed to chicken pox many times but didn't get it until he was in the fourth grade when his sister, who was in kindergarten, came down with it. He, too, has never had Covid. I've often wondered if he didn't inherit my strong immunity.

[FakeNoose]

24. Other people - including my family members - have had a similar story

Prior to the end of 2019 and early 2020, Covid may have been here in the United States in an earlier form. But nobody knew what it was, even the doctors thought it was "some kind of flu." But it was much more serious, even deadly for some people.

Any virus that affects your breathing AND gives high temp fevers is serious no matter what we call it. My son and his family were very sick with "flu" (or so he thought) in 2019 before we'd even heard of Covid-19. It probably wasn't flu, but there's no way to prove it now. They live in Manhattan, on the edge of Chinatown on the Lower East Side

Hong Kong flu, maybe that was an early version of Covid? I don't know.

[DontBelieveEastisEas]

33. No, Hong Kong flu was not early version of Covid. It was not a virus from the Coronavirus group - nt

[DontBelieveEastisEas]

36. Could be you have had it, just didn't have symptoms? nt

[Prairie_Seagull]

41. Direct family members in my household got it.

genetically we would be similar. It is absolutely possible I was asymptomatic though, although I do have some health issues that would seem to set me up for covid though.

We took all precautions for the duration.

I am so thankful we have professionals for this stuff.

[llmart]

42. Highly doubtful.

[Prairie_Seagull]

40. In looking around I see that there is a name for this.

'cross reactive immune response' Much is not known but appears to be a topic of medical discussion.

[groundloop]

11. Very interesting (dont'cha just love science?). I wish I was in that group that can't catch Covid......

I've had Covid twice, despite taking every vaccine and booster that I was eligible for. Thankfully I never got very sick, mostly just kind of wiped out feeling for a couple of days, but it still wasn't pleasant.

[FakeNoose]

15. The vaccine can't stop us from getting covid, it prevents us from getting the severe version

I had a very mild case back in 2022 but it could have been much worse if I hadn't been vaccinated.

This article seems to suggest that some people are exposed to the virus but their own body has a quick response that fights it off before they're actually sick.

[DontBelieveEastisEas]

32. The vaccine can, and often does, stop us from getting covid.

The vaccine can, and usually does, stop us from getting the severe version.

It can, but it does not always do either.

[aggiesal]

12. This test was bias ...

They never tested patients that used Ivermectin.

Do I need the sarcasm thingee?

[hibbing]

13. My partner had it, me no

I kept testing myself and never had a positive test.

Peace

[PortTack]

14. Scientists should be studying how to replicate these ppls immunity

[FakeNoose]

16. I think they probably are

But this program started back in 2021, when most of the population hadn't been exposed or vaccinated. Nowadays most of us have been exposed and many (hopefully more every day) have been vaccinated.

The next study is probably happening right now, and it's more likely a genetic study of the group who had the natural immunity. That's my guess, but I don't really know.

[infullview]

17. My daughter and her boyfriend both worked at restaurants

They got Covid and I was exposed to it by them. They both got terribly sick while I remained asymptomatic I did test positive. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t spending the wealth….

[FakeNoose]

19. Restaurant workers were particularly vulnerable when Covid first came out

Customers were sitting at tables eating, and of course their masks had to come off. Some customers didn't even care that they were exposing other people to their germs. During that time in 2020 (before I was vaccinated) I hardly ever went out of the house. When I did I always wore a mask. But I can do that because I'm retired. If I'd been working then it would have been very scary.

[TSExile]

21. Very interesting.

My dad is the only one in our immediate family who hasn't had covid (vaccinated and boosted). I myself didn't get it until December 2023 and was absolutely miserable. I am eternally grateful to have been vaccinated and boosted!!

[misanthrope]

47. I was fully vaccinated when I contracted COVID-19 in March.

Never lost taste or smell and thought it was seasonal allergies since the pollen onslaught this year was epic. The regimen of Paxlovid did a good job.

[phylny]

26. I've been fully vaccinated and have never had Covid.

Granted, in the beginning of the pandemic, I was careful - social distancing, masking, staying home whenever possible, and washing my hands. My husband got it and I made him live in the basement level. I never caught it, that I know.

[DontBelieveEastisEas]

34. How do you know? nt

[phylny]

43. Guessing

😊

Every time I’ve had a cold or cold symptoms, I have tested. Once, at the beginning of the pandemic, I had a blood test to see if I had immunity and I did not. So, thank you for your comment. I suppose I should’ve said, “I have not have Covid to my knowledge.”

[paleotn]

29. The human immune system is fascinating. The variability person to person is even more fascinating.

The complexity is incredible.

[MOMFUDSKI]

30. Husband and I never had Covid. I have had 5

Vax and husband has had 6. Last flu we had was 1992. We don’t get flu shots. Go figure

[DontBelieveEastisEas]

35. How do you know?

Did you do blood antibody tests? Or, do you mean you never had symptoms.

[MOMFUDSKI]

39. No symptoms and not sick at all

since we had a flu way back.