As scientists, we have been stunned and disheartened to witness many strange scientific claims made during this pandemic, often by scientists.

Sekine et al. provide a functional and phenotypic map of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells across the full spectrum of exposure, infection, and COVID-19 severity. They observe that SARS-CoV-2 elicits broadly directed and functionally replete memory T cells that may protect against recurrent episodes of severe COVID-19.

People who recover from mild COVID-19 have bone-marrow cells that can churn out antibodies for decades, although viral variants could dampen some of the protection they offer.

Long-lived bone marrow plasma cells (BMPCs) are a persistent and essential source of protective antibodies1–7. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) convalescent individuals have a significantly lower risk of reinfection8–10. Nonetheless, it has been reported that anti-SARS-CoV-2 serum antibodies experience rapid decay in the first few months after infection, raising concerns that long-lived BMPCs may not be generated and humoral immunity against this virus may be short-lived11–13. Here we demonstrate that in patients who experienced mild infections (n=77), serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) antibodies decline rapidly in the first 4 months after infection and then more gradually over the following 7 months, remaining detectable at least 11 months after infection. Anti-S antibody titers correlated with the frequency of S-specific BMPCs obtained from bone marrow aspirates of 18 SARS-CoV-2 convalescent patients 7 to 8 months after infection. S-specific BMPCs were not detected in aspirates from 11 healthy subjects with no history of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We demonstrate that S-binding BMPCs are quiescent, indicating that they are part of a long-lived compartment. Consistently, circulating resting memory B cells directed against the S protein were detected in the convalescent individuals. Overall, we show that SARS-CoV-2 infection induces a robust antigen-specific, long-lived humoral immune response in humans.

Immune memory against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) helps to determine protection against reinfection, disease risk, and vaccine efficacy.

NIH

People who have had a mild case of COVID-19 are left with long-term antibody protection against future disease, according to a new study.

In a radio interview, Sen. Rand Paul said because he had COVID, he has acquired natural immunity. Some scientists not only agree, but warn that people who previously had the virus may be at risk of being injured by the vaccine.