Patients who recover from coronavirus infections may lose their immunity to reinfection within months, according to research that experts said could have a “significant” influence on how governments manage the pandemic, AFP reported.

In the first study of its kind, a team led by researchers from King's College London examined the levels of antibodies in more than 90 confirmed virus patients and how they changed over time.

Blood tests showed even individuals with only mild Covid-19 symptoms mounted some immune response to the virus.

Of the study group, 60 per cent showed a “potent” viral response in the first few weeks after infection.

However, after three months only 16.7 per cent had maintained high levels of Covid-19 neutralising antibodies, and after 90 days several patients had no detectable antibodies in their bloodstream.