Scientists have come to the conclusion that you can’t be infected with the Coronavirus twice, despite some reports suggesting otherwise.
South Korean scientists have said that patients testing positive twice was due to “testing failures” and the CDC say now it is impossible for the new Coronavirus to infect the human body and make it sick twice.
There were initially fears that the virus was mutating rapidly enough that the body couldn’t become immune, as there were over 200 (now disproven) cases of the virus in patients who had already had it.
But further genetic analysis has now proven that there aren’t any substantial changes in the virus that could allow it to infect people twice, and mask itself from the immune system.
The tests where people were found positive a second time have now been identified as false positives. The tests couldn’t establish a difference between live and “dead” virus in the body, researchers say.
The CDC also mentioned, how unlike other viruses, this Coronavirus doesn’t hijack a cells nucleus, meaning it won’t stay dormant for long periods of time like other viruses can.
“This means it does not cause chronic infection or recurrence,” explained Dr Oh Myoung-don, the head of the CDC committee.
But, if it’s anything like the seasonal flu, there is still a chance it could mutate enough in the future to allow itself back into the bodies of those previously infected; this almost cannot ever be ruled out.
