Passive Immunization against Sars-CoV-2
For many pathogens there are already medical preparations that are made from immunity donations. If this way of making can be applied to Sars-CoV-2, your antibodies to Covid-19 can protect others
Doctors and nursing staff
In order to protect the medical system, doctors and nursing staff in hospitals as well as in retirement residences can be immunized.
Elderly and sick persons
People that are expected to have a severe medial course of Covid-19 can especially benefit from passive immunization
Persons with contact risk
Some services and professions get into contact with many people. Passive immunization can protect them.
Hyperimmunoglobulin
Passive immunization with corona antibodies
If you spontaneously planned a long-distance travel and did not get vaccinated against hepatitis B virus infection, then your doctor will probably advise you to get a passive immunization in order to protect you for some time.
With a normal vaccination, your immune system is stimulated to produce antibodies itself. This process takes a different amount of time, depending on the pathogen and the patient. If the time necessary is not available it is possible to use the antibodies from an immunity donation directly.
For a short amount of time the antibodies provide a certain kind of borrowed vaccination protection. With this borrowed protection the immune system is able, for some weeks or months, to quickly identify and eliminate the pathogen.
Many scientists believe that this principle can also be applied to the new corona virus Sars-CoV-2. That means: healthy people could be protected from infection or at least from a severe course of the disease.
It depends on you!
If enough recovered Covid-19 patients could become immunity donors, many doctors and nurses, elderly and sick people could be protected by this method.
Frequently asked questions
Is passive immunization possible for Sars-CoV-2?
There are some international studies that indicate that the principle can be applied to the novel corona virus. German studies are currently underway. Results are not yet available.
How safe is passive immunization against Sars-CoV-2?
So far, there is no knowledge. However, passive immunizations against many other pathogens are low-risk and are usually well tolerated.
What is the difference between active and passive immunization?
Active immunization is a vaccination in the classic sense. The immune system is animated to produce its own antibodies against a specific pathogen. There are various procedures for this.
Passive immunization uses antibodies from an immunity donation to immunize a patient for a short period of time. This makes the onset of this disease less likely or greatly reduces the course. This procedure is used when a conventional vaccine is not available or when the time until the risk of infection is no longer sufficient to produce antibodies on your own.
When will a passive corona vaccine be available?
So far, there is no knowledge. However, passive immunizations against many other pathogens are low-risk and are usually well tolerated.
What is Sars-CoV-2 hyperimmunoglobulin?
Hyperimmunoglobulin is another name for antibodies against a specific pathogen. Hyperimmunoglobulin is obtained from convalescent serum.
What is convalescent serum?
Convalescent serum is obtained from the blood plasma of a patient who has overcome an infectious disease. The blood plasma contains antibodies that are used as hyperimmunoglobulin preparations for passive immunization.