T Cells From Common Colds Cross-Protect Against Infection With COVID-19: Imperial College London Study

A type of cells produced by the body when fighting common cold viruses cross-protect people against infection with the virus that causes COVID-19, according to a study published Monday.

A 3D print of a spike protein of SARS-CoV-2—the virus that causes COVID-19—in front of a 3D print of a SARS-CoV-2 virus particle. (Courtesy of NIAID/RML)

T cells have been recognized as a measure of protection against severe COVID-19 and previous research indicated that recovery from common colds may provide some level of shielding against the virus that causes COVID-19.

Researchers with Imperial College London found in the new study that the presence of such cells can also prevent infection by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease.

The scientists assessed 52 contacts of newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases to pinpoint when they were first exposed and determined that people who tested negative for COVID-19 had higher cross-reactive T cell levels. They also took blood samples from the participants within 6 days of exposure.

Professor Ajit Lalvani, another author, said the study “provides the clearest evidence to date that T cells induced by common cold coronaviruses play a protective role against SARS-CoV-2 infection,” adding that “these T cells provide protection by attacking proteins within the virus, rather than the spike protein on its surface.”

The discovery could help scientists develop a new version of the COVID-19 vaccine, the researchers said.

They also urged people to get a COVID-19 vaccine instead of relying on the protection from cross-reactive T cells.

The currently available vaccines have proven less effective against the Omicron variant of the CCP virus, including against severe disease. While booster shots restore some of the lost protection, early data signals the boost quickly drops in effectiveness against infection after administration. Whether boosters last for longer periods of time remains unknown.

The study was published in Nature and was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit and the Medical Research Council.

Limitations include the small number of participants and the fact that 88 percent were white.

Dr. Simon Clarke, an associate professor in Cellular Microbiology at the University of Reading, who was not involved with the study, said that people who have had colds should not assume they are protected against SARS-CoV-2 because many colds are not caused by coronaviruses and further research is needed on the matter.

“Although this is a relatively small study, it adds to our understanding of how our immune system fights the virus and shows that future vaccines might benefit from targeting components in addition to the spike protein,” he added.

"T cells have been recognized as a measure of protection against severe COVID-19 and previous research indicated that recovery from common colds may provide some level of shielding against the virus that causes COVID-19. Researchers with Imperial College London found in the new study that the presence of such cells can also prevent infection by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease. The scientists assessed 52 contacts of newly diagnosed COVID-19 cases to pinpoint when they were first exposed and determined that people who tested negative for COVID-19 had higher cross-reactive T cell levels. They also took blood samples from the participants within 6 days of exposure."

Yet, isolation/distancing help prevent colds (and I do try to distance from people if I or they evidence a cold), and thus the conclusion is that preventable comorbidities are the real problem, mainly obesity and typical relative conditions.

Research finds that obesity along with high blood pressure and diabetes (which typically are related to obesity [3][4] [5]) are the leading comorbidities in Covid-assigned deaths.[6] And over 70% of Americans are overweight or obese. [7] And while Covid-assigned deaths are now over 800,000 in America, yet according to the National Library of Medicine the estimated number of deaths per year in America that are attributable to obesity among US adults is approximately 280,000. Which means 2,800,000 over a 10 year period.

[8] The CDC reported that obesity is linked to impaired immune function, and may triple the risk of hospitalization due to a COVID-19 infection, and decreases lung capacity and reserve and can make ventilation more difficult. And the increased risk for hospitalization or death was particularly pronounced in those under age 65,[9] and that about 78% of people that were hospitalized, needed a ventilator or died from Covid-19 were overweight or obese. [10]

This includes some otherwise healthy, hard-working people and even the young. Since the pandemic began dozens of studies have reported that many of the sickest COVID-19 patients have been people with obesity A study published in August 2020 reported that an international team of researchers who pooled data from scores of peer-reviewed papers capturing 399,000 patients, found that “people with obesity who contracted SARS-CoV-2 were 113% more likely than people of healthy weight to land in the hospital, 74% more likely to be admitted to an ICU, and 48% more likely to die.” Another study found that 77% of nearly 17,000 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 were overweight (29%) or obese (48%) - and which over 40% of Americans are. [11]

Consistent with this, the majority of global COVID-19 deaths have been in countries where many people are obese, with coronavirus fatality rates 10 times higher in nations where at least 50% of adults are overweight,” and “that 90% or 2.2 million of the 2.5 million deaths from the pandemic disease so far were in countries with high levels of obesity.[12] “The report found that every country where less than 40% of the population was overweight had a low Covid-19 death rate of no more than 10 people per 100,000.” “Age is the predominant factor affecting risk of hospitalisation and death from Covid-19, but the report finds that being overweight comes a close second.” [13] cf. [1 4] [15 ]

In addition, more recent research has reported that fat cells can act as a reservoir for RNA viruses like influenza A and HIV, providing an additional site for the virus to replicate.

More.

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