These two people who are now immune have been working in the building. Both are full time, one an administrator and one a contract cleaner.
“Both have had symptoms and been off work for a week or so in the last month. “Both are pretty dedicated and sociable and so why are more of our staff not infected.
“At a cancer centre with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and proton therapy mingling is inevitable.
“So the virus has been in the building and staff haven’t been ill.
“So what we are seeing is 28 people have been exposed to the virus but don’t have strong antibodies for it.
“There have to be other immunity mechanisms at play. The average age of staff at our centres is under 30. There are reports of other immune mechanisms – NK cells, and local cytokines deactivating the virus without the need for an antibody response in younger people.
“It means that a ‘certificate of immunity’ policy to get people back to work is going to be difficult.”