Coronavirus immunity develops even in asymptomatic patients - Rospotrebnadzor head Popova
MOSCOW. Aug 28 (Interfax) - The latest research indicates that immunity to the novel coronavirus develops even in asymptomatic patients, head of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) Anna Popova said.
"We can say now that people who did not demonstrate any clinical symptoms have developed immunity. First and foremost, these are children. Up to 40% of minors younger than 18 have the post-infection immunity although they had no clinical symptoms," Popova said at a meeting of the Council of Rectors of Russian Medical and Pharmaceutical Universities on Friday. Besides, up to 30% of people older than 60, who had no clinical manifestations of the novel coronavirus and were not registered as patients, also have immunity, Popova said.
She said the information was obtained in the course of a massive study of coronavirus immunity in Russia, which included over 70,000 people.
It also appeared that the chance for developing immunity without demonstrating symptoms is higher if the amount of virus that penetrates the patient's system is insignificant. A larger amount raised the chance for a serious case, she said.
"This inspires certain optimism. At the same time, the significant dosage of infection leads to the development of clinical symptoms; our scientists say that small dosages create immune response and large dosages make the immune response paradoxical - the signal from the immune system triggers severe clinical manifestations," Popova said.