Seeking immunity through infection cannot be an option at present, because data on the duration and intensity of the immune response to COVID-19 are still unknown. Overcoming a first infection is no guarantee of being safe, and the scientific community is not clear, to this day, about the period of immunity or the degree of protection enjoyed by people after being infected.
“Allow contagion to achieve immunity It is not an option in the fight against the coronavirus” says the United Nations Organization (UN). COVID-19 is a very new virus that requires greater attention and care before issuing empirical and scientifically unfounded solutions. World Health Organization (WHO), It also expresses its position against solutions without control or verification:
“Attempts to achieve herd immunity by exposing people to a virus are scientifically questionable and unethical. Allowing COVID-19 to spread among populations of all ages and health status will lead to unnecessary infections, hardship and deaths.
When a virus or bacteria attacks our body, the immune system takes information from the pathogen to get to know it, while attacking it to develop antibodies that allow it to prepare for when it appears again, this is how the body makes sure that it is not taken by surprise. and can neutralize it based on the data collected for the information provided through vaccines.
This preparation is what we call immunity and depending on the degree of recognition that the body has of that enemy (COVID-19) it will allow us for a time:
- Have a shield for prevent the virus from infecting us.
- Having The necessary tools so that, in case the virus manages to infect us, the disease manifests itself in a mild form.
Vaccines operate in a similar way in our immune system, which uses information from the virus to force the production of antibodies that allow it to fight future infections. This method It is used in people who have not been infected in order to control mortality or severity of possible symptoms. For our health, it will always be advisable to access proven methods and that strategies without scientific control, such as aiming for immunity through contagion, can be regulated.”
Preventing the spread of the virus, through biosecurity habits and social distancing, remains the main strategy that we can all do for public health. Immunity is only possible, for now, through vaccination. To ensure that we live with social responsibility, Insurance SURA advises and supports us to acquire self-care habits, prepare us to access vaccinations and continue protecting others, as we do with ourselves.