Recovered coronavirus patients ARE showing signs of immunity, experts say as hopes build that a vaccine could work - while scientists also believe younger children are potentially less likely to transmit infection
- Dr Jenny Harries said recovered Covid patients seem to get immunity to virus
- Her claims have raised hopes of a potential coronavirus vaccine
- She also suggested that younger children are less likely to transmit infection
England's deputy Chief Medical Officer has said that recovered coronavirus patients appear to have Covid-specific antibodies for months.
Dr Jenny Harries said a 'very large percentage of patients who have otherwise been pretty well do actually have a pretty good response'.
The senior Government medical adviser also said there were 'some signs' that younger children are potentially less likely to transmit coronavirus.
Speaking at the No10 coronavirus press conference tonight, Dr Harries said: 'I think we are also starting to see with some very small pieces of evidence now from people in this country who have had Covid-19 and who have tested positive.

Dr Jenny Harries (pictured) said a 'very large percentage of patients who have otherwise been pretty well do actually have a pretty good response' at the No10 press conference

England's deputy Chief Medical Officer made the announcement after the Department of Health and Social Care revealed another 621 Covid-associated deaths have been recorded
'We have looked for their antibodies, and a very large percentage of patients who have otherwise been pretty well do actually have a pretty good response.'How long that is going to last and whether it is going to provide an antibody response say for one season or two-three year ahead, we don't know.'
Antibodies are produced by the immune system in response to infection, and when someone possesses them they have immunity to the virus.
She said signs of immunity could vary from patient to patient, but doctors would expect people to have some immunity about a week and a half after being ill.
Dr Harries explained: 'We know that some people will have different status.
'We would normally expect to see some sign of immunity about 10-12 days after an infection, and then a very consistent pattern about 28 days.'

Dr Harries has raised hopes of a vaccine (pictured, scientists are seen working at Cobra Biologics on a potential vaccine for Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus)
Her comments come a day after the UK's testing coordinator said evidence from South Korea which suggested people were developing immunity from the novel coronavirus was 'encouraging'.
Almost 300 cases in South Korea emerged of people who had seemingly contracted Covid-19 a second time. But the country's Central Clinical Committee for Emerging Disease Control announced that the cases of allegedly reinfected people was due to a testing fault.
Professor John Newton told yesterday's daily briefing: 'It is obviously promising.
'I think people have said before in these briefings that it would be very surprising if there was no immunity after infection, but at the moment the science is still not precise about how much immunity you get and how long it lasts.'
Dr Harries also told the press conference today: 'What we do know for children is that if they get infected ... younger children probably tend to have less clinical disease, and if they have clinical disease - ie, they show some symptoms - they tend to progress less frequently to severe disease, so that's pretty good.
'The bit that is perhaps still in the unknown box at the moment, and some of our prevalence studies will really help us understand, is the transmission of disease. The quality of the evidence is quite difficult at the moment, so you shouldn't take this as the truth, but there are some signs... that potentially younger children are less susceptible to disease and potentially transmit it less.'
Dr Harries's comments came in response to a question on the impact of school closures during lockdown on parents and their children's education.
Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick also told the No10 press briefing today that the Government was not able to give a date to parents for the reopening of schools, which may be carried out in a phased manner.
This comes after an NHS chief warned that the Government should be wary about reopening schools too early as scientists do not fully understand the extent of transmission between children.
NHS England's national medical director Professor Stephen Powis said the 'science is still evolving' on how much children contribute toward virus spread, adding: 'We do need to be cautious as we think of reopening schools.'
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