"The advantage of this medicine is that it gives you immediate antibodies - Explains Catherine Houlihan, virologist dell'University College London Hospital (Uclh). We could tell trial participants who have been exposed: 'yes, you can have the vaccine'. But we could not assure them that it will protect them from the disease, because it is too late: current vaccines do not confer immunity for a month.".
The Guardian reported that British scientists are experimenting with a new drug that can prevent those exposed to Covid-19 from developing the disease. Such tantibody-based therapy should give immediate immunity and could be given as emergency treatment to hospitalized patients or to at-risk groups.
The drug was developed by University College London Hospital (Uclh) e AstraZeneca. The team hopes the study will show that the antibody cocktail protects against the coronavirus for between six and 12 months. If approved, it will be administered to anyone who has been exposed to Covid-19 in the previous eight days. It may be available from March-April. The study involves UCLH, several other UK hospitals and a network of 100 sites around the world.
The immediate protection the drug promises could play a key role in reducing the impact of the virus until everyone has been vaccinated.