Could these people go into each other's houses?

[cheesebubble]

This is purely hypothetical, I never had the virus, I'm not vaccinated, I'm pregnant and rarely leave the house unless I go for a walk or to see the midwife /hospital.

Several of my friends have had the virus now, and their partners or husbands, most of them quite badly affected & all had positive tests.

If they got antibody tests and let's say they all show antibodies, wouldn't it be ok for them to enter each other's houses and spend time with each other or am I missing the bigger picture / know nothing about how infectious diseases work?

Again, this is just out of interest as I genuinely don't know. Please no hate messages

No it would not be okay or advisable. Neither legally nor medically. We don't know to what extent having antibodies lasts, nor whether you can still transmit the virus round a chain.

That would be similar to the vaccine though or not? How do we know how long the antibodies will last?

The risk of transmission would probably be low - but we don’t know that for sure. It would however currently be illegal.

It would be enormously divisive if people who had had the virus, or been vaccinated, were allowed to do things which others weren’t.

I say this as one who is just getting over Covid, and therefore probably, but not definitely, immune. It will make a difference to my behaviour, to the extent that when mixing is allowed and hospitality open, I will take advantage of it, whereas last year I didn’t. But I will continue to follow the rules - if nothing else, out of solidarity with those still waiting for the vaccine.

No.

There are different types of immunity. Sterilising immunity means that once you have been infected and recovered you can't be infected again. It seems that neither infection with COVID-19 nor vaccination give sterilising immunity. However, although you can still be infected with the virus, if you have antibodies, that can prevent you developing disease (symptoms).

It is possible to reinfected with SARS-CoV-2 or infected after vaccination. It is likely that symptoms ill be milder though (or there will be no symptoms). While that person is infected with the virus, they will still be able to transmit it, although the risk of transmission is probably lower.

Adding to the above theres also the issue of different strains. I know two people who have had covid in the last two weeks. Both care workers picked on routine testing. One has the symptoms we hear about. The other, bit rundown and bad throat, no temp, which GP originally diagnosed as tonsilitis, they reckon they had different strains.

Thanks everyone, it does make more sense now, it's good to get some other people's opinions and input on this. These people don't actually know each other and therefore wouldn't see each other anyway.

@Calmandmeasured1 I genuinely think it's rude and judgemental what you just said, and I do think I should report you for this. It is 100% hypothetical as the individuals don't know each other, I live in London and have friends from all over the place. I'm pregnant and have had lots of complications, having to have ultrasounds every 2 weeks & i'm actually really scared of the virus given how quickly it spreads, so I am almost shielding and not seeing anyone, outdoors or indoors.

Even if you have the antibodies you can still carry the virus about your person and pass it on to someone else who also has the antibodies. Then instead of one person carrying the virus you have two.

And when you go out, there are two people instead of one who could potentially give it to others.

So you need to continue with precautions.