A Florida doctor says the medical community is seeing promising results showing people may be developing immunity to COVID-19. Dr. Sunil Joshi, president of the Duval County Medical Society Foundation, said Saturday one of the more popular questions he's fielding about the disease are about antibodies.
While testing patients' blood for antibodies, Joshi said it's important to remember that those test do not currently reveal if someone has coronavirus. But the test is still critical for medical professionals to learn about the virus and its impact on humans.
Blood tests are "important for us because it allows us to know over time how many people were infected and also whether or not we're developing immunity to this particular virus," Joshi said in a Facebook post Saturday.
Blood tests results of patients who've contracted the virus have revealed that they've developed antibodies "which is a good sign some people are developing immunity" to COVID-19, Joshi said.
Joshi, who is also president of the Family Allergy & Consultants, cautions that it's unknown if the immunity is long lasting and those who've developed antibodies may still have to receive a vaccine when one is developed.
The other popular question people are asking, Joshi said, is about when the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to peak.
"The peak of COVID-19 here in the United States, today is supposed to be the peak for us, April 11," Joshi said, adding that the peak for Florida is 10 days away.
For the state of Florida its been moved up to April 21 so that's good. The sooner we reach the peak, the sooner we can get over this," Joshi said. "We reached the peak very quickly."
Joshi said the peak in Florida was supposed to be May 10, but it was moved up. "We gotta hang tight for a little bit longer before we can see the light at the end of the title."