ANTIBODIES DISCOVERED IN RECOVERED PATIENTS

[Anchor Lead]

Here's one more noteworthy announcement from the quarantine authorities. Tests conducted on 25 people who had recovered from COVID-19 have shown that all of them had antibodies. Let's see what this means.

[Pkg]

​Do people who have recovered from COVID-19 become permanently immune from the virus? Apparently it's possible as long as the person has antibodies that can beat the virus. Quarantine authorities have tested 25 people who had recovered from COVID-19 and found that all of them had antibodies that can fight the virus. The Central Clinical Committee on COVID-19 has given a positive opinion that the formation of antibodies indicates that the body has the immunity to prevent the virus from permeating it. Although all 25 people were confirmed to have antibodies, 12 of them, or 48 percent, were found to have the virus in their respiratory specimens.

[Soundbite] BAEK SUN-YOUNG(PROF., CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF KOREA) : "Even when patients do have neutralizing antibodies, the virus may still be present in their bodies."

Quarantine authorities believe that although the patients do have antibodies, they tested positive because they are still in the recovery stage and the virus has yet to leave their bodies completely. Experts also say it's highly possible that the remaining virus is already dead and less contagious.

[Soundbite] HAN MYUNG-KOOK(CENTRAL PREVENTIVE MEASURES HEADQUARTERS) : "Although some virus fragments were detected, the virus has not been separated, which means the body can protect itself to some extent."

However, it has yet to be clarified if antibodies can kill the virus completely and block its re-activation and re-infection.

[Soundbite] LEE HYUK-MIN(PROF., SEVERANCE HOSPITAL) : "It is likely that neutralizing antibodies are unable to protect the body completely. In other words, the immunity has not been formed properly."

The Central Preventive Measures Headquarters have launched a study to find out more about the antibodies' defense mechanism and how long COVID-19 can survive in the body.