5/6 Question

5/6 Question

by Bailey Barnard -

I know there has been a low rate of children testing positive for COVID-19 or even showing symptoms. If they are more immune to the virus than adults, would it be possible to take their antibodies to create a vaccine? 

Also, I know there have been a few infants that have died shortly after birth due to contracting the virus in the hospital or from the mother after birth, but is it possible for a fetus to become infected by the mother before birth?

Re: 5/6 Question

by Barbara Christie-Pope -

Children may be clearing the virus before making antibodies.  Vaccines cannot be made from antibodies but are made from antigens (small components of the virus) that provoke the immune system to build the host's antibodies

Very few viruses can cross the placenta.  So far, there is not evidence that SARS-CoV-2 can do this.