How long do antibodies last?

[XjustagirlX]

Really curious about this and interested in others peoples experience or any studies anyone has seen.

I caught COVID in March 2020. I’m on an ONS research study where I have monthly antibody blood tests and the swab tests.

I’ve not had the vaccine yet. I’ve also not been ill since March 2020 and in March I had 10 out of 12 COVID symptoms (based on ONS study).

As at April 2021 I still had the antibodies so for 13 months. I’m waiting for my next results to see if I still have them.

I can’t find anything online to say how long they last as most say around 8 months but they are dated a few months ago. I’ve had them much longer than that so really curious.

How long have you had the antibodies?

We don’t know yet, hence the study.
Glad you’ve still got antibodies 😀

No one is certain yet.

We can't possibly know yet. Very few people (in the UK) caught Covid before March '20 (and even fewer that were diagnosed with it officially before this date) so you're not going to find someone who'll pop along and say 18 months / 2 years / 3 years or whatever.

Well done for being part of the study and hopefully we'll have some answer soon.

I find it really interesting too. My mum’s immunosuppressed and had no antibodies 6 weeks after having COVID.

It does not really matter. Your body will not keep producing antibodies if the virus is no longer present in the body, what is a waste of energy.

What happens is it retains the ability to quickly fire up antibody production if the same virus enters the body again.

@XjustagirlX

Really curious about this and interested in others peoples experience or any studies anyone has seen.

I caught COVID in March 2020. I’m on an ONS research study where I have monthly antibody blood tests and the swab tests.

I’ve not had the vaccine yet. I’ve also not been ill since March 2020 and in March I had 10 out of 12 COVID symptoms (based on ONS study).

As at April 2021 I still had the antibodies so for 13 months. I’m waiting for my next results to see if I still have them.

I can’t find anything online to say how long they last as most say around 8 months but they are dated a few months ago. I’ve had them much longer than that so really curious.

How long have you had the antibodies?

Surely you’re providing the answer to your own question, as you will be one of the earliest people in the UK to have had Covid - so when your antibodies start to wane that will be the answer.

I guess people in China had it earlier than that but don’t know if they will be providing any data.

What happens is it retains the ability to quickly fire up antibody production if the same virus enters the body again.

JellyBabiesFan that’s interesting. Is there any point in repeat testing for antibodies then if what you say is correct?

It appears that people have antibodies for differing amounts of time. I really hope someone gathers the data and does a study on why some people have antibodies for longer and not others.

Does the time depend on how severe the symptoms were? Or maybe age? Or if you were treated at hospital or not?

It would be so interesting to find out.

My understanding is that antibodies last forever. They are stored in your T cells and your body releases antibodies when you come into contact with the virus in question in order to fight it off. Antibodies aren't fired off every day for every virus, only when your body detects it. Otherwise our bodies would be exhausted firing off antibodies for everything every day. We need to be testing our T cell immunity. Thats how it was explained to me

@JellyBabiesFan

It does not really matter. Your body will not keep producing antibodies if the virus is no longer present in the body, what is a waste of energy.

What happens is it retains the ability to quickly fire up antibody production if the same virus enters the body again.

I'm not sure you understand how immunity works. The antibodies are the peice of your immune system that "remembers" the virus. They are produced as a component of the innate immune response to recognise a specific component of a virus (or bacteria or fungi or any other pathogen), in this case covid 19. Once the body has faught off the infection the levels or circulating antibodies drop but some remain. If you become reinfected the low level remaining antibodies tell the innate immune system to kick into gear fast, it boots up production of both the antibodies and other immune cells and destroys the invader ideally before the virus has a chance to take hold again.

The tests referred to in this study are measuring that low grade circulating antibody. These in theory can last a lifetime such as the mmr antibodies which are developed from vaccinations in infancy and in most patients last throughout life whereas tetanus lasts roughly 10 years.

@JellyBabiesFan

It does not really matter. Your body will not keep producing antibodies if the virus is no longer present in the body, what is a waste of energy.

What happens is it retains the ability to quickly fire up antibody production if the same virus enters the body again.

This. Remember we have CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, plus memory B cells, all of which are extremely important in storing immunity information. A lot is made of antibodies but in reality they are only one part of the equation.

I'm fairly sure I had Covid in March 2020. I took an antibody test in December (not in UK, we can fork out for one privately if we are so inclined) and it came back negative. My doctor said several of her other patients had told her the same thing. So either I didn't have Covid in the first place or, because the symptoms I had were pretty mild, my antibodies were not traceable 8 months later.

Nobody knows if or when covid immunity wanes yet and it will vary by individual. Your own immune system will have an effect, but also individuals might be exposed to covid without realising and with no symptoms other than ramping up the immune system. It's also the case that nobody knows how many antibodies are needed to prevent any symptoms of infection, which changes with different variants.

Thanks for doing the study; the more who do it the better information we'll have long-term.

T cell immunity from natural infection can last a life time. The vaccinations thwart the bodies longterm effects fighting it. A lot of people may regret their decision.

Covid in March 2020. Not tested obviously, but laid up for weeks.
Tested positive in September 2020, no symptoms at all, but kitten was ill so got myself tested.
Antibody tested via Gp in March 2021, no antibodies.
Tested positive again in April 2021 ill for 4 days then fine.

I cannot take the vaccine due to health but hoping my t cells are doing their job.

Had covid in Oct 2020. Had first jab on 8th may and got tested for antibodies on 18th may and I have them. I suspect that’s from actually having covid though as don’t think that’s enough time for the jab to have ‘done it’s thing.’ I’m part of the monthly ONS study too but this month was the first time I was tested for antibodies.

Did they tell you what kind of antibodies you have, OP? I was part of an academic study and tested positive for IgG antibodies which are apparently longer lasting, but there’s another kind (please help me out, science MNers) which are more immediate after infection and not so long lasting -?

I'm not sure you understand how immunity works.
The antibodies are the peice of your immune system that "remembers" the virus. They are produced as a component of the innate immune response to recognise a specific component of a virus (or bacteria or fungi or any other pathogen), in this case covid 19. Once the body has faught off the infection the levels or circulating antibodies drop but some remain. If you become reinfected the low level remaining antibodies tell the innate immune system to kick into gear fast, it boots up production of both the antibodies and other immune cells and destroys the invader ideally before the virus has a chance to take hold again

Not quite.

It is the B cell lymphocytes that remember (as you call it) the foreign molecule, in this case a virus.

Antibodies have no ability to 'remember' anything.

@LazyHorizon the study doesn’t say what type of antibodies I have unfortunately. But I know they are from COVID and not the vaccine as I have been vaccinated yet.

Another interesting point to study is how if at all the vaccine interacts with existing COVID antibodies.