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The disproportionately high Covid-19 infection rates observed in Black Americans could be linked to their daily commuting patterns, according to a new study published today in the
Journal of the Royal Society Interface.
The research found that increased exposure to other ethnic groups, for example as a result of an individual s job or use of public transport, can result in the emergence of an infection gap in the population, such as the abnormally high incidence of Covid-19 recorded in Black Americans.
In some areas of the US Covid-19 incidence in Black Americans can be up to three to five times higher than would be expected based on population data. Previous studies have highlighted socio-economic factors including lower income and poorer access to healthcare facilities could play a role in this infection gap but these factors alone cannot completely explain the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on Black Americans.
1162 A healthcare worker holds a bottle of the Pfizer/BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine at Notre Dame home care, as the coronavirus disease outbreak continues in Brussels, on December 28, 2020. Reuters
London, December 28
Scientists have found evidence of protective immunity against COVID-19 in people up to four months after mild or asymptomatic coronavirus infection, providing hope for the long-lasting efficacy of vaccines.
The researcher, including those from Queen Mary University of London analysed antibody and T cell responses in 136 healthcare workers in the UK, who had mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 infection dating back to March.
The study, published in the journal Science Immunology, found that 89 per cent of healthcare workers analysed carried neutralising antibodies 16-18 weeks after infection.
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