We are on the covid train

[HannaAddict]

Hope you all have a mild case.

I have given blood three times since March and no antibodies. We have been on major lockdown here though.

The recent study from England indicated antibodies may not hang around in people's systems very long unfortunately.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...len-study-says

Even without antibodies, they think T-cells hang around and study out of U of WA that showed that. But T-cells isn’t part of normal blood work. But if you ever had antibodies, there is evidence to suggest that you still have some protection even if they fade because of T-cells. The doctors on this board may explain it better!


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[twowhat?]

Even without antibodies, they think T-cells hang around and study out of U of WA that showed that. But T-cells isn’t part of normal blood work. But if you ever had antibodies, there is evidence to suggest that you still have some protection even if they fade because of T-cells. The doctors on this board may explain it better!


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Bumping to ask how OP's family is doing??

And yes to T cells. Antibodies weren't meant to circulate in your bloodstream forever (particularly if you had a mild infection and didn't need to produce loads of antibodies). But in the course of an infection, memory B cell and T cells are ultimately produced (usually). B cells are the ones actually making the antibodies. T cells have other mechanisms to actually kill virus-infected cells, hand-to-hand combat style. Enough of these memory cells hang around like sentinels so that upon re-infection, they can ramp up an immune response more quickly. That's a little overly simplistic but sums it up. It's harder to detect these cells. The T cells are specific for the virus, so in the lab you're looking for a very specific T cell that was selected to recognize covid-infected cells, and not any other type of infected cells (other coronaviruses, flu, any other random virus you've been exposed to in your lifetime). To make it even more complicated, the B cells making covid antibodies rely on a special kind of T cell (not the memory T cell but one that plays a role a little earlier in the immune response) to activate it and ramp up antibody production. They work together.

[petesgirl]

Thanks for checking on us, Twowhat!
We are doing fine- both boys seem to be mostly recovered, DS1 has an occasional cough but that's all! My parents seem to be fine also, both back to work and no more symptoms but we still make them check their oxygen every day just because they are both over 65 and I've read some stories of it hitting people hard after they thought they had recovered.
We are all officially done with quarantine. Doesn't change much because we didn't go many places before anyway. DH went to donate platelets today because he wants to know his antibody status (we both had symptoms but tested negative).

[twowhat?]

Thanks for checking on us, Twowhat!
We are doing fine- both boys seem to be mostly recovered, DS1 has an occasional cough but that's all! My parents seem to be fine also, both back to work and no more symptoms but we still make them check their oxygen every day just because they are both over 65 and I've read some stories of it hitting people hard after they thought they had recovered.
We are all officially done with quarantine. Doesn't change much because we didn't go many places before anyway. DH went to donate platelets today because he wants to know his antibody status (we both had symptoms but tested negative).

That's great news!!! Glad you're all doing well, what a relief!

[KrisM]

Glad to hear you are all doing well!

[bisous]

That really is great news! I'm glad your parents have someone watching out for them and that you've all seemed to have a mild case!