Editor’s note: Dr. William Miller, chief of staff at the Adventist Health Mendocino Coast Hospital, is writing weekly reports concerning the COVID-19 situation on the Mendocino Coast. We are pleased to be running his health column, with details on the medical fight against the pandemic. The views shared in this weekly column are those of the author, Dr. William Miller, and do not necessarily represent those of The Mendocino Voice or of Adventist Health.
Antibodies are proteins made by our immune system that stick to invading bacteria or viruses. In doing so, they assist the immune cells in quickly identifying and clearing infection. Antibodies are normally made only after the immune system has seen the infection for the first time and as a result are the “memory” that gives us “immunity”. In other words, we do not have antibodies against an invader the first time we encounter the infection. All vaccines work by stimulating the immune system to create antibodies against an infection and thus have the “memory” without the person having to get the actual infection.
Continue reading for FREE
We just want to make sure you’re a human! Sign in to keep reading and receive our weekday newsletter in your inbox.
Success! Your account was created and you’re signed in.
Please visit My Account to manage your account.