This can be the effect of your immunity donation
When the first study results are confirmed your immunity donation is a powerful weapon against Corona. Get to know how it works and what is possible with your donation
Covid-19 therapy
Using your immunity donation can already be a therapy. Get to know how it works.
Learn more
Immunization
As a passive immunization your donation protects vulnerable groups and prevents an infection.
Learn more
Precision weapons against Sars-CoV-2
This is how antibodies can defeat Covid-19
When the body is confronted with a virus like Sars-CoV-2 the immune system is activated. There are different strategies your body uses to get rid of the intruders. Some of them are rather unspecific but enough for small challenges.
However, if the virus is more aggressive, like the new type of corona virus, the body needs especially designed weapons to target the enemy. To do this, the body examines the virus and constructs markers that are designed for this specific pathogen. These markers dock at their destination and identify the intruder so that another part of the immune system can become active and eliminate the viruses. Another name for the markers is antibodies or immunoglobulins.
If the immune system is heavily loaded with other diseases, there are not enough resources available to be able to react optimally to all challenges. Age is also a risk factor because the immune system continuously loses its effectiveness.
If the body system reserves are not sufficient to eliminate a dangerous pathogen such as the novel corona virus, the virus can multiply unhindered in the body and cause enormous damage in this process. Because the cells that the virus uses to multiply die, and can no longer fulfill their function. Organ damage occurs which then becomes life-threatening and can lead to death.
Usually almost every immune system will start producing its own antibodies at some point. If this time is early enough, massive damage can be avoided. If this phase lasts too long, the patient is at risk.
Your antibodies have aleady proven that they can defeat Corona. Because you are healthy again.
This means that if you donate part of your antibodies, the time at which the recipient's immune sysem can target the previously unknown virus will be pushed forward. In the best case your antibodies mark such a large number of the viruses that organ damage is prevented in the recipient until the newly infected Covid-19 patient's system can start its own production of antibodies.
Even if no statement can yet be made about the perfect time for a Sars-CoV-2 antibody therapy, it can be assumed that the dosage should be given, at the latest, at the first signs of a severe progression. Hopefully this will prevent many serious and deadly cases. The patients can recover quickly and the workloads of the hospitals can be decreased.
Frequently asked questions
Are antibodies against Sars-CoV-2 produced in the body at all?
There are now many studies on this topic and the majority of experts believe that antibodies are produced.
How is Covid-19 treated?
The therapy aims to stabilize the patient's circulation and avoid further complications such as to bacterial infections. Oxygen is given for moderate courses, mechanical ventilation is required for severe courses. The ECMO process is also used. Blood is conducted out of the body, enriched with oxygen and returned.
Which medication helps against the new coronavirus Sars-CoV-2?
Studies with various drugs are currently underway in Germany and worldwide. Some of them have had positive results in individual cases. At the moment it is still unclear whether these results can be repeated and whether the active ingredients are safe.
Some of the active substances act directly against the virus. Others intervene in the immune system and try to control the immune reactions so that e.g. organ damage is avoided in the lungs.
Right now, most patients are being treated with drugs that counter the effects of the infection. This is done e.g. to avoid further infections of the lungs by bacteria or to stabilize the circulation.
Can only elderly and sick people die from Covid-19?
Unfortunately, no. Even if the probability rises with age and previous diseases, young persons can also die of the consequences of a Covid-19 disease.