Rising Covid deaths and falling antibodies will force Plan C, says expert

As the number of Covid-related deaths climb to their highest level since March, London Medical Laboratory says antibody testing, combined with treatments such as Ronapreve, will be the best hope for the Government to avoid introducing its ‘non-existent’ Plan C.

The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures reveal the number of Covid-related deaths is climbing once again, and there has been no significant dip in the number of new hospital admissions. This increases the likelihood that the Government will have to resort to its supposedly ‘non-existent’ Plan C this winter, argues Dr Quinton Fivelman PhD, Chief Scientific Officer at London Medical Laboratory

Says Dr Fivelman: ‘There’s no significant decrease in the number of people being admitted to hospital with Covid-19 and deaths from the virus are now at their highest level since March. Even with the Government’s new Plan A in place and “last resort” Plan B waiting in the wings, this may well not be enough.

‘Without introducing comprehensive antibody testing, in conjunction with new monoclonal treatments such as Ronapreve, the Government may swiftly have to produce its Plan C, strenuously though it denies the existence of one.

‘I would suggest that Plan C actually does exist in a locked Whitehall cupboard somewhere, perhaps behind a sign saying: “In case of escalating emergency break glass”. Such a plan is likely to involve a firebreak, perhaps with an extension to the October half term, mandatory mask wearing in public places, a return to social distancing and a limit on gatherings in homes and indoor public places.

‘The best way to avoid finding out if Plan C exists or not, is to increase antibody testing. Without regular antibody testing in the community, we can’t identify those people who never developed antibodies at all after vaccination, or those people who have already lost their antibodies.

‘Our research reveals that 1 in 100 fully vaccinated people fail to develop any antibodies at all after vaccination. That means that, even if every UK adult is vaccinated, half a million adults will have no protection whatsoever, and not even realise. Identifying those people is crucial.

‘Of equal concern is the fact that our most recent tests are finding a growing number of people who have been jabbed now have lower values (50 to 500AU/ml) of antibodies. If someone takes a test and their score is low, their antibody levels may have significantly declined over time, and they may be more susceptible to the virus as time passes.

‘We need to increase the number of IgG (immunoglobulin G) antibody tests being carried out, and a shared database needs to be created so information from Government and private labs can be bought together. That’s because antibody testing can avert the imposition of a return to lockdowns, when used in conjunction with new immune-boosting drugs designed to protect patients who fail to respond to the Covid vaccine or rapidly lose immunity. These new supplementary drugs contain monoclonal antibodies and are already in use in America, Europe and Asia.

‘The UK’s drug regulator has already approved the first monoclonal antibody treatment – Ronapreve – for the treatment and prevention of acute Covid-19 in adults. The treatment binds to two different sites on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, neutralising the virus’s ability to infect cells.

‘In the meantime, if anyone is concerned about their own immune response to the jabs and how well they continue to produce antibodies, the new generation blood tests we offer are highly accurate, quick and simple to carry out, either in their own home or at a clinic. These tests are available privately for those who don’t qualify for the Government’s new limited testing programme.

‘For the latest information about the level of protection vaccinations offer against Covid-19, see London Medical Laboratory’s new White Paper at: https://www.privatecoronavirustests.com/page/vaccine-immunity