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Monkeys infected with Covid-19 developed short-term immunity
A rhesus macaque monkey. Scientists from Peking Union Medical College performed an experiment on rhesus macaques, often used because of their similarities to humans. PHOTO | AFP
What you need to know:
- While the monkeys displayed initial immunity, it's unclear how long such immunity will last in humans.
- Scientists from Peking Union Medical College performed an experiment on rhesus macaques, often used because of their similarities to humans, to find out if they have a short-term immunity to the virus.
Test monkeys infected with the novel coronavirus responsible for the Covid-19 pandemic were protected from reinfection for up to 28 days later, a Chinese study out Thursday in the journal Science said.
While the monkeys displayed initial immunity, it's unclear how long such immunity will last in humans - it will be necessary to wait months, or even years, to know if the millions of people infected at the start of the pandemic are protected from re-infection.
