Madonna reveals she tested positive for coronavirus antibodies
Popstar Madonna on Friday revealed that she has tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, indicating she has likely been infected with the novel coronavirus. The 61-year-old said she now plans on going for a "long drive" and "breathe in the COVID-19 air." However, it is yet to be established if antibodies provide immunity against the virus. Here are more details.
Madonna made the revelation during the 14th edition of her "Quarantine Diary" digital series. She said, "Took a test the other day, and I found out that I have the antibodies." She added, "Tomorrow, I'm just going to go for a long drive in a car and roll down the window, and I'm going to go breathe in the COVID-19 air."
Several other celebrities have gone public about their COVID-19 diagnosis. Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson had tested positive for COVID-19. The couple has since recovered and Hanks even shared a photo of his donated blood plasma on Instagram recently. Others including Pink, Idris Elba, Chris Cuomo, and Andy Cohen, have also gone public with their diagnosis.
Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system to help fight against foreign particles invading the body, such as a virus. Antibody tests can identify current or previous infections. However, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has clarified, "We do not know if the antibodies that result from SARS-CoV-2 infection will provide someone with immunity from a future infection."
The CDC further states, "If antibodies do provide immunity, we don't know what titer or amount of antibodies would be protective or the duration that protection would last." The health body says it is conducting studies for the same.
According to the Johns Hopkins University tracker, the US has reported roughly 65,000 deaths due to COVID-19. Over 11 lakh people have been infected with the coronavirus in the US. Globally, the disease has afflicted 33.45 lakh people and killed nearly 2.4 lakh. The disease, that impacts a person's respiratory system, first emerged in China's Wuhan city late last year.
