英國的研究人員稱，他們觀察到擁有新冠病毒抗體的人口比例「大幅」下降，這可能意味著「免疫力在消退」。倫敦大學帝國理工學院的科學家在這項研究中發現，病毒抗體的覆蓋率正在下降。據路透社報道，英國帶有抗體的人口所佔比例從六月份的6%下降到了九月份的4.4%。據美國有線電視新聞網報道，研究人員在給英國隨機選擇了逾36.5萬人，並發放手指採血檢測試劑盒，他們檢測後得出結論稱，「可檢測到抗體的人口比例大幅下降」。
據路透社報道，倫敦大學帝國理工學院傳染病中心主任溫迪·巴克萊稱：「據我們對其他病毒的瞭解，證據對比顯示，免疫力和抗體水準會同步下降，這表明英國人口的新冠免疫力在消退。」研究人員在這項研究中尋找的特定抗體是免疫球蛋白G，美國有線電視新聞網指出，其他一些研究顯示「其他種類的抗體持續的時間可能比免疫球蛋白G更長」。
但是倫敦大學帝國理工學院的海倫·沃德告訴BBC新聞頻道說，研究表明「免疫力消退的速度相當快」。沃德在一份聲明中還說：「我們還不知道這是否會導致人們陷入重新感染新冠病毒的風險，不過很重要的一點是，大家都要繼續遵守疫情防控指導意見，以降低自己和他人的感染風險。」
Researchers in the UK said that they have observed a “substantial” drop in the proportion of people with antibodies to the new coronavirus, which may mean that “immunity is fading.” Scientists at Imperial College London University found in this study that the coverage of virus antibodies is declining. According to Reuters , the proportion of the UK population with antibodies dropped from 6% in June to 4.4% in September . According to CNN, researchers randomly selected more than 365,000 people in the UK and distributed finger blood test kits. After testing, they concluded that “the proportion of the population with detectable antibodies has dropped significantly.”
According to Reuters, Wendy Barclay, director of the Infectious Diseases Center at Imperial College London, said: “According to our understanding of other viruses, the comparison of evidence shows that immunity and antibody levels will decrease simultaneously, which indicates that the British population is immune to the new crown. The force is fading.” The specific antibody the researchers looked for in this study was immunoglobulin G. CNN pointed out that other studies have shown that “other types of antibodies may last longer than immunoglobulin G. ” .
But Helen Ward of Imperial College London, told the BBC News Channel that research shows that “immunity fades quite quickly.” Ward also said in a statement: “We don’t yet know whether this will put people at risk of being re-infected with the new coronavirus , but it’s important that everyone continues to follow the guidance on epidemic prevention and control to reduce their own and The risk of infection for others.”