The human body might already be able to fight Coronavirus without you knowing it. According to several researchers, having a common cold might actually help fight COVID-19. This also puts forward questions about the protection of some people. This is mainly because of the discovery of certain cells that attack the virus particles in the bloodstream of people already suffering from the common cold.
Research has found that all common cold diseases are caused by several strains of human coronavirus. This explains why some are more prone to the disease than others. But these researchers, from La Jolla Institute of Immunology, still have a lot to prove outside of the laboratory.
The link between Coronavirus and the common cold
The study is under publication for the science journal, Cell. The research focusses on immune cells in our body, known as T-cells which are very different from the B-cells. The B-cells are the ones responsible for producing antibodies. The T-cells are made to respond immediately to an infection, just like antibodies. But instead of latching onto the virus, it helps by attacking other infected cells.
After these attacks, the T-cells become well prepared to fight against similar strains of viruses. Moreover, these cells stay in their local position without disturbing any cellular activities. In the case of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, T-cells take time in production and is often late to reach the attack site.
But, apparently, if you are already a patient of common cold or other SARS related diseases, the Coronavirus will not attack you. This is mainly because the T-cells are already present in your cell in the attack sites. Which means your body can fight with Coronavirus very well.
Let us know what you feel about this research in the comments below!
Suryapratim Ray is an engineer, author, robotics hobbyist, and an active Quoran. Being a technical blogger, he covers the good, bad, and ugly of science on a regular basis at Sciencenews18. In addition to his passion for writing, he’s equally keen on learning classical music.