Sir,
COVID-19 pandemic is going to change human life. We all know that everyone is keeping physical distancing form every other one. Physical distancing, mask, and hand hygiene are going to part of life. Along with these, there is a new discussion started at the world level that is about “immunity passport.”[1] The WHO has given guidelines for the Immunity passport.[2] The countries are demanding that people who want to travel to their country should have some immunity test. If they have adequate antibodies in the blood against COVID-19, they should allow them to travel in the country. Immunological test is the basis for an immunity passport.
However, there are many limitations of immunological tests about false positive and false negative. Both are dangerous to interpret. Not only this, there are many other limitations of such test. Such an immunological test will test against only one type of disease. Such test will require a laboratory set up to test with all biomedical waste precautions. Moreover, many other limitations.
Looking to such issues, it is high time to search noninvasive tools to assess immunity status. Till time medical science is talking about the measurement of specific immunity for a specific disease.[3] There is not much discussion on the role of general health on immunity status. It is time to explore the relationship between general health and immunity.
As per epidemiological knowledge, there is a concept of the epidemiological triad. The triad consists of agent, host, and environment. In the case of unknown epidemic or pandemic like COVID-19, we have limited knowledge about agent coronavirus. The scientists are working on it. The environment we are following various measures to keep away viruses such as physical distancing, face mask, hand hygiene, personal care, and many more to keep agent away.
The third is host. Host means “we;” You and me. Hope we know ourselves properly, are we? In the local language, we have saying that “pahelu shukh te jate narya” means Health is First Happiness. Your happiness is defined by your health, so keep yourself fit to get happiness. You are fit means your body immunity is working at an optimum level.
The fit healthy body has three pillars physical, mental, and social health as per the WHO definition of health.[4] So to keep yourself fit healthy you need to keep all disease away. Now the question is; how to check you are health? One of the way to check your health is the health assessment tool. Currently, there is no scientific tool available to measure health. It is high time to develop such tool. Researchers should work on developing such self-assessment tool with scientific evidence. Such a tool will be great help to the family physician and primary care practitioners to guide the community and build community immunity. This will be the next milestone in control of unknown pandemic without fear.
Financial support and sponsorship
Nil.
Conflicts of interest
There are no conflicts of interest.
References
- 1.Mullin E. 'Immunity passports' could create a new category of privilege [Internet] Medium. 2020. [Last accessed on 2020 May 19]. Available from: https://onezero medium com/immunity-passports-could-create-a-new-category- of-privilege-2f70ce1b905 .
- 2.”Immunity passports” in the context of COVID-19 [Internet] [Last accessed on 2020 May 19]. Available from: https://www who int/news-room/commentaries/detail/immunity-passports-in-the-context-of-covid-19 .
- 3.Research I of M (US) C on MN. Methodological issues in assessment of human immune function [Internet] Military strategies for sustainment of nutrition and immune function in the field. National Academies Press (US); 1999. [Last accessed on 2020 May 19]. Available from: https://wwwncbinlmnihgov/books/NBK230986/ [Google Scholar]
- 4.Constitution [Internet] [Last accessed on 2020 May 19]. Available from: https://www who int/about/who-we-are/constitution .