Establishment and duration of protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2, in relation to severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection

Project description In most people, a specific immune response can be demonstrated after a COVID-19 infection. However, it is not known how long and how well this immune response protects against re-infection. This can be investigated at Sanquin because blood is regularly collected from 300,000 blood donors, some of which is also stored for two years. Research For donors who have had COVID-19 disease - from asymptomatic to seriously ill - the course of COVID-19 antibodies in the serum and (in a subgroup) the memory cells will be analyzed for two years. To what extent an immune response protects against re-infection is prospectively investigated in 2000 antibody positive donors. In addition, all people who are tested positive for COVID19-PCR from September 2020 will be checked to see whether they are blood donors. The plasma of these people, which was frozen around July 2020, will then be tested. Expected outcomes If a previous infection protects, it is expected that much fewer anti-COVID-19 antibodies are found in the COVID-19-PCR positive group than in the control group.