Covid19 : Common cold T cells may protect against Covid19
Natural defences against a common cold could offer some protection against Covid19, too, research suggests.
Immunity against Covid19 is a complex picture, and while there is evidence of waning antibody levels six months after vaccination, T-cells are also believed to play a vital role in providing protection.
The researchers believe their findings provide a blueprint for a second-generation, universal vaccine that could prevent infection from current and future SARS-CoV-2 variants, including Omicron.“Our study provides the clearest evidence to date that T cells induced by common cold coronaviruses play a protective role against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The study – published in Nature Communications – said the T cells target internal proteins within Covid, rather than the spike protein on the surface of the virus.
