Reinfections More Likely With New Coronavirus Variants, Evidence Suggests
There's growing evidence that new genetic variants of the coronavirus — specifically, the ones circulating in South Africa and around Manaus, Brazil — may be capable of evading the body's immune system. ...
The mutations decrease some antibodies' ability to recognize and neutralize the virus, a team of scientists reported Tuesday in a study on the South African variant. Specifically, the scientists looked at whether the variant from South Africa could be neutralized by blood plasma, which contains antibodies, taken from people who had been infected with older versions of the virus. In 21 of the 44 samples, the new variant was resistant to neutralization by the plasma serum.