Researchers at the Abbottabad University of Science and Technology (AUST) have claimed that Pakistanis have previously been exposed to at least one strain of the Coronavirus.

Assistant Professor of Immunology and Microbiology at AUST, Dr. Ayub Jadoon, stated that this might be the second time that the Pakistani population has been exposed to the Coronavirus. This is why Pakistan has a low mortality rate and a higher recovery rate than most of the countries.

On exposure to the virus for the second time, the antibodies developed during the first exposure in an individual help fight against the virus, even if it is a different strain of the same virus. These antibodies act as a self-made vaccine against the virus.

Dr. Jadoon further added that most of the time mutations among viruses go unnoticed in underdeveloped countries such as Pakistan and these mutations are misdiagnosed as common cold or influenza with symptoms like cough, flu, and respiratory difficulty.

Dr. Jadoon referred to more than 15 research papers that have concluded that the immune system of people belonging to underdeveloped countries such as Pakistan has countered the SARS-COV-2 extremely well.

On the contrary, people living in countries considered as pathogen-free nations have been affected badly by the SARS-COV-2 because they have been exposed to the virus for the first time.

Dr. Jadoon has also discouraged the use of passive immunization technique to treat Coronavirus patients. Significant problems can arise in patients that have already developed immunization to the virus on first exposure.