Tech billionaire Elon Musk has joined researchers to track COVID-19 infections and antibody levels among 4,300 SpaceX employees for a study published Feb. 15 in Nature Communications.
SpaceX medical executives worked with medics and researchers to launch an antibody testing program last year. SpaceX employees who volunteered to participate in the study underwent monthly blood tests from mid-April to June 2020, reports the Wall Street Journal.
Of the 4,300 Spacex volunteers tested, 300 contracted COVID-19. The researchers had enough data on 120 employees to examine their antibody levels and draw conclusions for the study.
The researchers found that these employees had a level of antibodies that could confer immunity, but "the precise levels [...] associated with protection from reinfection remain unclear."
The study also found that antibodies were much weaker in those with milder symptoms.
The median age of study participants was 31 years old and 92% were men. The authors said this could affect their results, as different ages generate different immune responses.
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