Why does no one talk about T cell immunity

[Rabblesthecat]

Yes, we know antibodies wane quickly but T cell immunity is more difficult to test for

If you have T cell immunity then you might get symptoms until those T cells make new antibodies. But the symptoms will be mild. (Unless dengue fever)

We seem to be so obsessed about waiting antibodies that we are ignoring the second line defense which all science is saying is long lasting..

We don’t need repeated boosters if we have T cell immunity.

My theory is that antibodies are easy to explain and the general public is too thick to understand T cell

@Alpenguin

I take medication that suppresses T-Cells. It means there’s no t-cell immunity/protection for me. I saw someone else explain it as the medication switches off the T cell response. I know What t cells are, what they do and what mine don’t do when I take Medication. The excitement of society at T cell memory still doesn’t help a large swathe of immunosuppressed people….

Well, yes, if you are immuno-compromised you are always going to be less able to resist illnesses than if you weren't.

The only real option for anyone in this situation, long term, is to try and stay as healthy as possible and avoid other people who are ill.

So endless lockdowns and not allowing us to be exposed to colds was not a good thing.

Good point. I guess our immune system needs to keep 'working' rather than be so protected (wearing masks, lockdown etc).

Definitely @Blubells especially children. Not being exposed to colds for the first few years of life is not a good thing. The reason why colds aren’t a problem is we are constantly exposed and build up good immunity. And they aren’t novel in the population. Soon Covid won’t be novel. But we need to build up that immunity via vaccines and exposure.

@Delatron

Yes I read the Imperial report. Very interesting especially about recent colds offering some immunity via t-cells.

So endless lockdowns and not allowing us to be exposed to colds was not a good thing. Yes I know we needed the first one. And a shorter second one but neither should have gone on for as long as they did.

I wonder about this with regards to masking, too.

I've seen a few people say they like not getting colds so much they are going to keep masking, but I can't help but think that is a bad idea, even before I read about this with colds maybe offering protection. We know that immune systems that aren't challenged don't work properly, and that immunity from different illnesses aren't totally separate and unrelated to each other in an individual. So totally preventing what are normally not dangerous infections seems like it might be a bad idea.

The best scenario is you are exposed to a virus and then fight it off without becoming ill. I read this is called an ‘abortive infection’. You get a t-cell boost without being ill. So next time you’re exposed you’re stronger and so on and so on.

The ‘super cold’ that was doing the rounds was a result of us all hiding away.

Confused about the cold theory. In the UK covid hit during a normal winter when most would have had recent exposure to colds and other winter viruses. If colds offer protection against covid, how did it manage to spread and make people ill in the first place?

Avoiding ill people is problematic at the best of times (we also have lives outside our house arrest) and will be more so when Boris & co dump testing and isolation. It’s not just covid we have to dodge.

It wasn’t all colds. Only 25% of colds are a coronavirus. So it would have had to be from a similar strain. It could explain why some people appear to have natural immunity. And also why some have less severe symptoms.

I don’t think we can dodge being exposed to illness. We need to think of other ways to build a stronger immune system. Rather than hiding away from illness.

We also need it accept illness, viruses etc are part and parcel of life.

The test is expensive about £200 privately so not so easy to spread out... Really interested too.

Firstly, yes I got T cells and B cells slightly confused. I’m not a scientist but make an effort to understand.

It was the general X-cell immunity I was referring to.

I had also been drinking and After reading a few articles it got me wondering that was all. Remind me not to post anything technical after too much wine!

And yes, I do think the average member of the public would struggle to understand which is why it’s not mentioned more in the media.

I’ve seen lots of people and experts talking about T cell immunity. It even makes it into the papers frequently.

@Delatron

I don’t think we can dodge being exposed to illness. We need to think of other ways to build a stronger immune system. Rather than hiding away from illness.

We also need it accept illness, viruses etc are part and parcel of life.

For some people like myself the strong immune system is problematic and it’s why I have to take medication that suppresses my immune system (to stop it attacking my body) and therefore dodge illness.

To assume immunosuppressed people just have to build stronger immune systems is naive and ignorant. A bit of echinacea and vitamin c isn’t going to help here in fact it could make things worse for people like me.

I thought this was interesting on AZ and T cells
theconversation.com/does-astrazenecas-covid-vaccine-give-longer-lasting-protection-than-mrna-shots-172609

@Alpenguin

Obviously I don’t include immunosupressed people in that statement. I’ve been one. With zero immune system and I don’t think for a second a bit of echinacea would have helped!

I mean for the general public. Going forward if we are to live with a new endemic virus every year then it’s helpful to research risk factors (obesity, lack of fitness). And other things we can control.

You can’t argue for non immunosuppressed people that staying healthy is the best form of defence.

I didn’t mention echinacea or vitamin C.

Yes @Nappyvalley15 I’d read that too. It hasn’t been proved and I think the CEO has been criticised for claiming this but that article does explain why it may be the case that with AZ you may get a longer lasting t-cell response than the other vaccines. I hope we can get some more concrete research on this otherwise it just keeps getting dismissed l.

It’s a shame the AZ vaccine can’t be tweaked to make it a bit safer as it seems a superior product to the Pfizer and Moderna

Article on T killer cells on nature site today https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-00063-0?utmsource=Nature+Briefing&utmmcampaign=5e9a2252f2-briefing-dy-20220112&utmmedium=email&utmmterm=0_c9dfd39373-5e9a2252f2-46204290

Good article @hedgehogger1

I like the explanation that when looking at infectivity then antibodies are important but for prevention of series disease it’s the longer lasting t-cells.

I’m pleased the article highlights the frustration that many studies just focus on antibodies.

Hopefully we’ll see more research going forward.

Point is - there may be lots of research going forward and based on sars I’d be willing to beta lot that T cell immunity is long lasting

But will the press or briefings ever refer to it or just keep whipping people up into a state of fear based on the presence or not of antibodies

I had medication to wipe out and re engineer my T cells. (At least that's what I think it did.) so I'm interested to know what effect that had on my immunity. I had. Covid pre vaccination, but very mildly. Despite being in the shielding category.