Study: Recovered COVID-19 patients likely have antibodies for at least 6 months

A blood sample being used to test for COVID-19 antibodies.
(Image credit: Simon Dawson - Pool/Getty Images)

Researchers in the United Kingdom have found that most people who become infected with the coronavirus still have high levels of antibodies for at least six months after their recovery.

The study of 20,000 people was conducted by UK Biobank, with the results published on Wednesday. The scientists discovered that among subjects who previously tested positive for COVID-19, 99 percent had antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 three months after being infected, and after six months, 88 percent still had antibodies.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.