More than 5% Spanish population exposed to COVID-19; immunity is short lived: study

Spain conducted a nationwide study on the spread of the novel coronavirus. Researchers have now revealed that the according to their study, 5.2 per cent of the Spanish population is already infected by the coronavirus.

The study was conducted on nearly 70,000 people across Spain. It was done three times in the past three months and the scientists found that the affected population has not changed significantly since preliminary results were published in May.

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Scientists have also found out that immunity can be very short lived in the new coronavirus, as opposed to what is commonly believed by most."Immunity can be incomplete, it can be transitory, it can last for just a short time and then disappear," said Dr Raquel Yotti, director of Spain`s Carlos III Health Institute, which co-led the study.

Talking at a press conference, the scientists have urged Spaniards to exercise caution and not relax. She has warned people that the novel coronavirus can come back and affect the population if proper caution is not exercised.

"We can't relax, we must keep protecting ourselves and protecting others," she said.

Spain was under a complete lockdown for almost three months. The country reopened as the death rate fell down. However, experts are not happy with the way the government has handled the pandemic, and are urging locals to take care of themselves to avert a possible second and worse wave of coronavirus.