Question

please explain why the adaptive immune system plays a larger role in fighting COVID-19 than the innate immune system.

Answer 1

Innate immunity is a type of immunity that is inborn or already present in persons since they were born. It is the first line of defense mechanism and it is not specific and does not have memory responses. Phagocytic cells such as Macrophages, Neutrophils, Monocytes are responsible for this mechanism. for example, when an influenza virus enters our body, it will produce inflammations, more production of mucus in our sinuses for preventing against this virus, which is behind the common flu along with cough. Rising the body temperature during fever is another example of this innate immunity. But this mechanism cannot inhibit the action of highly dangerous infectious pathogens for example this Coronavirus. Here comes the Adaptive immunity. It has a high degree of specificity and exhibits memory responses. If a person is affected by Chickenpox, that person won't get affected by this for the second time, because their body is capable of creating some antibodies against those pathogens as a memory response. Here, in the case of Corona also we can see this, a person cured of the corona, there is no chance or less chance of getting for the second time. That person may get infected because of poor physical conditions or the mutation of coronavirus. So in fighting with Covid-19 adaptive immunity play a major role than innate immunity, because we need memory responses.