No Evidence That Recovered COVID Patients Can’t Be Reinfected: WHO

The WHO asked governments to stop issuing “immunity passports” as their accuracy cannot be ensured.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday, 25 April, said that there was "no evidence" that those who have recovered from coronavirus and have antibodies will be protected from contracting the virus a second time.

The global health body further warned governments from issuing "risk-free" or "immunity" passports to those who have recovered as their accuracy could not be ensured.

Such acts could further increase the chance of spread, WHO said.

"Some governments have suggested that the detection of antibodies to the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, could serve as the basis for an 'immunity passport' or 'risk-free certificate' that would enable individuals to travel or to return to work assuming that they are protected against re-infection", said WHO, reports news agency Reuters.

"There is currently no evidence that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second infection," it added.

It further said that it was continuing to review the evidence on antibody responses to the virus, which emerged in Wuhan, China, also stating that most studies have shown that people who have recovered from infection have antibodies to the virus,

However, they said that "cellular immunity may also be critical for recovery".

(With inputs from Reuters.)