A study found that even if you catch a cold, you can develop immunity to COVID-19.
In a paper published in the journal Nature Communications, a research team at Imperial College London, UK, said that if you catch a cold and have immune memory, you are less likely to get COVID-19.
The research team investigated the level of T-cells, the immune cells caused by the existing cold, and whether they were infected with COVID-19 among 52 people who were not vaccinated in September 2020 and whose cohabitation was just confirmed.
The study found that half were infected with COVID-19 and half were not, but among those who did not have COVID-19, a third had high levels of specific memory T cells in their blood.
These T cells are most likely caused by another coronavirus infection, such as a cold.
Experts point out, however, that it would be a serious mistake to think that everyone with a cold will automatically become immune to COVID-19.
The number of cases caused by coronavirus among colds is at a level of 10 to 15%.
The researchers said that in addition to immunity from colds, ventilation and the infectiousness of people living together can also be variables.
They said, "I wondered why some people don't get infected when they are exposed to the COVID-19 virus," they said.
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