Age is not a disease: Evolution of protective antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 in seniors from the Břevnice nursing home

In the nursing home in Břevnice, 21 out of 23 seniors were infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the spring of 2020. Three of them died from the infection. This study monitors the antibodies formation in group of seniors who have overcome the infection. Between April and November (1-8 months after the infection), the antibodies were measured repeatedly within the period of several weeks. The virus neutralizing tests was used as well as the ECLIA assay by Roche (total immunoglobulins), CMIA assay by Abbott (IgG) and ELISA assay by Euroimmun (IgG and IgA). Six months from the infection, neutralizing antibodies were detected in 18 out of 20 seniors. High levels of neutralizing antibodies correlated with higher levels of immunoglobulins and were a good predictor of an increase of IgG in the autumn during the second wave of the epidemic in the Czech Republic. During the autumn wave, neither any of the clients, nor any staff contracted the virus, although the prevalence of PCR positivity in the Vysočina region reached around 5 %. The antigen tests also came out all negative. This study shows that in the senior population, the production of protective antibodies follows a normal pattern, and the seniors are probably immune to a repeated infection for at least 8 months from the first infection. Based on these results, we would like to open the discussion on the testing for seroprevalence in nursing homes, possible changes to the epidemiologic regime in relation to the risk of infection, and about vaccination schemes in these centers.