The common cold could provide some protection against Covid, a new study has claimed.
An investigation into healthcare staff working with Covid patients has uncovered those recovering from a cold show an increase in T-cells - an essential part of the immune system which can offer protection against a broad spectrum of coronaviruses.
The study, conducted by scientists at University College London, analysed more than 750 healthcare staff working with Covid patients.
This comes as on Wednesday more than 39,329 new cases were recorded in the UK and a further 214 people died.
They discovered 58 of the participants had never tested positive for Covid, never had symptoms and never developed Covid-fighting antibodies in their blood, but had all shown an increase in T-cells.
It was also discovered rather than avoiding infection completely, some of the workers experienced a super low-level infection which was not recognised in the routine tests.
In the paper, published in the medical journal Nature, one of the researchers, Dr Leo Swalding stated "previous common cold exposure may give a head start against the virus".
He further explained how Covid immunity had been developed within the immune system of the participants to eliminate the virus before it could start to replicate - what is better known as "abortive infection".
The study further found the protective T-cells to be triggered into action by any coronavirus because they are able to look inside the virus and react to a specific cluster of proteins unique to how the virus replicates.
But the researchers emphasised not all common colds would provide protection - It seems healthcare workers developed protection due to being exposed to viruses throughout their work as well as some colds being the product of coronavirus.
However, in some instances, common colds could provide stronger protection, along with the addition of a vaccination.
Prof Mala Maini, the study co-author from UCL, said: “T-cells recognising the virus’ replication machinery would provide an additional layer of protection to that provided by the spike-focused immunity that is generated by the already highly efficacious current vaccines."
The researchers are hopeful the study will initiate more work to be done to develop a new vaccine to provide immunity against all coronaviruses.
