Coronavirus: A Riddle for Immune System in 2020

Updated on December 11, 2020

Have you ever given it thought- how does a notorious virus from some little town in China can become a global pandemic? How can vaccines be developed that increase the immunity of an individual to SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus?

The answers to these questions lie in- how does a human body interact with the infection causing coronavirus? And, the scientists say inhibiting the infection of this virus means suppressing some parts of the immune system.

One thing to note in 2020 is that life is highly unpredictable. Thus, it is important to take up precautions and measures beforehand to ensure a safe and healthy well being. The best and most trendy way of scarring one’s health is by taking up Medicare supplement Plans.

There are numerous plans customized for different individuals to suit their needs. Now, coming back to our topic, let us understand how the coronavirus has evaded our immune systems.

Innate Immune Response

A human body has this immune system as its first line of defense. So, whenever, you come in contact with a virus, your immune system gets active and shall fight off the pathogen with all its ability. The immune system is inclusive of skin, molecules- interferons and White Blood Cells, and other barriers.

This innate immune system responds rapidly at the site of infection which results in inflammation. They watch out for invaders and aim to eliminate them by eating and digesting them through the process called phagocytosis.

SARS- CoV-2 is a cousin to SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV they cause severe respiratory troubles. They also suppress the immune system and make them susceptible to other viruses making the body weaker. And the ability of the immune system to suppress defines why coronavirus takes up to two weeks compared to influenza.

Immunosuppression explains why coronavirus creates havoc in the innate system of the human body.

Adaptive Immune Response

The second way of protecting a body is by making use of adaptive immune system response. This includes B cells and T cells that release antibodies and kill unwanted foreign invaders (but remember the world ones), respectively. This adaptive system can build up immunity within a few days and then neutralizes or kills the pathogens affecting the body that retries. Thus, we can infer that it develops a memory of the invader and knows when to attack.

The COVID-19 tests detect the antibodies in one’s body that are built against the virus- SARS-CoV-2 within 7 to 14 days after the person develops symptoms. Those antibodies aim to spike the protein used by coronavirus to infect the cells.

There are high chances that people will be asymptomatic because of the interaction of antibodies and antigens with coronavirus. There are pre-symptomatic cases that end up spreading the virus and people end up asymptomatic.

Therefore, it is recommended to start with a home quarantine for 7 to 14 days initially before visiting a medical healthcare professional. What are you taking to boost your immunity for 2021?

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