On Jan. 21, 2021, NIH researchers announced that after people recover from infection with a virus, the immune system retains a memory of it. Immune cells and proteins that circulate in the body can recognize and kill the pathogen if itﾒs encountered again, protecting against disease and reducing illness severity.

The research was funded in part by NIHﾒs National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and National Cancer Institute. The results were published in Science.