Researchers in Europe analyzing how governments could lift lockdown restrictions for some people have suggested distributing “immunity passports” to key workers who have already caught the coronavirus. If the virus has already infected a person, they should be immune and, therefore, able to return to work without the risk of affecting others or becoming ill themselves.
In Germany, public health scientists are in the process of preparing a mass study intended to find out how many citizens are already immune to SARS-CoV-2. A collection of research groups and hospitals will help with testing blood samples from 100,000 people at a time for coronavirus antibodies. The testing is to start in mid-April and would be repeated at regular intervals to track the pandemic’s progress.
The shadow health secretary, Jonathan Ashworth, said:
Germany appears to be leading the way in the testing and we have much to learn from their approach. I’ve repeatedly called for more testing and contact tracing in the UK, and we should be looking at initiatives like this closely.
The test results will enable authorities to eventually issue certificates that exclude workers from restrictive measures currently in place. If a test result shows the presence of antibodies, that person is capable of fighting the virus. Meaning also that the person was once a carrier. This antibody test is not the same as the tests being used to know if someone is infected or not.
Gerard Krause, the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research’s head of epidemiology, said:
Those who are immune could be issued with a kind of vaccination pass that would, for example, allow them to exempted from restrictions on their activity.
However, it is not yet guaranteed for how long someone stays immune after they’ve been infected or if they even become immune at all. Dr. Philippa Whitford, an SNP MP and former surgeon who is also chair of the all-party parliamentary group for vaccines said:
The length of time someone may have immunity after they have had COVID-19 is still largely unknown. Someone contracting Sars, which is also a coronavirus, did not have long-term immunity – potentially only up to a year after the infection.
Nevertheless, experts are hopeful. As a member of the UK government’s respiratory virus threats advisory group told The Guardian:
It could be that this coronavirus causes a pretty robust immune response, which is durable and protective for much longer, maybe a year or even five years, but we don’t know because it’s a new virus.
There is yet to be an official statement by the German government about this proposal for “immunity passports” made by the scientific community.
