How Long Do Covid-19 Antibodies Last?

The human body has an incredible propensity for adaptation. When faced with a new challenge—whether you’re weightlifting or battling an infection—the body often finds a way to evolve to the circumstances. From developing stronger muscles to creating antibodies to a virus, this ability to adapt is one of the staples of survival.

With the coronavirus surging across the globe, this ability of immune systems to develop protective antibodies is more important than ever. If acquired immunity is possible, even for a limited time, it would be a ray of hope in a challenging chapter of human history.

Just how long do Covid-19 antibodies persist, though? That’s what we’re here to answer!

Preliminary Results

Two recent studies were conducted in an attempt to confirm that people’s immune systems were producing Covid-19 antibodies and determined how long those antibodies lasted. Both of these studies seemed to indicate that bodies do, in fact, produce protective antibodies and, on average, continue to do so for at least three to four months after the first symptoms present themselves.

This is positive news but only scratches the surface of the immune system’s response to the virus. To gain a deeper understanding of the antibodies present in those who had experienced Covid-19, researchers examined three specific types of antibodies. Those that may indicate prolonged immunity (lgG), those that protect the body’s mucosal surfaces (lgA), and those that are first produced when someone is fighting an infection (lgM).

The latter two seemed to dissipate within two months, while the former (lgG) persisted for up to four months—as long as the study ran, in one case.

What it Means

The presence and persistence of Covid-19 antibodies provide hope that those who have been infected with the virus will remain immune for an undetermined amount of time. Acquired immunity could protect previously infected individuals from contracting the virus again, thereby slowing the spread and leading to some level of herd immunity.

The prolonged presence of lgG may also allow for more accurate testing. If the antibody is present in a tested individual, it can be safely concluded that they were, at some point, infected. Testing for the other, short-lived antibodies could even grant insight into when the individual was infected, providing valuable information to doctors and researchers alike.