The study analysed antibodies in a group of 112 New Zealand patients previously infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the bulk of whom suffered mild symptoms. "In particular, do people have antibodies that bind to the virus spike protein, can these antibodies neutralise the virus, and how long do these antibodies last?" In the laboratory, the researchers measured the level of circulating antibodies that bound to the spike protein, as well as if the antibodies were neutralising. "As we had samples from people infected months prior we could use these measurements to see how long antibodies were lasting". The study further showed that scientists could accurately measure spike antibodies from a finger-prick blood sample.

Source: New Zealand Herald January 13, 2021 03:22 UTC