Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks still have antibodies nine months after they contracted COVID-19.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson

The Hollywood couple were diagnosed with the disease while in Australia in March, and have subsequently offered to help with studies to find a vaccine, and they are still protected months later.

Appearing on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' this week at the studio for a socially-distanced chat, host Jimmy told Rita: "I feel like you're the only person I don't have to worry about because you must be brimming with antibodies right now."

To which she replied: "I still have antibodies!"

As part of the UCLA program they are a part of, Rita and husband Tom, both 64, get tested for coronavirus "every couple of months".

She added: "They test us and so far we still have them. They diminish as you get farther away from your infection, but they're still there helping us out."

The pair have also been donating plasma to aid research for a vaccine.

'Forrest Gump' star Tom previously admitted the illness left him feeling exhausted, and revealed that his wife had a high fever and lost her sense of taste.

Discussing their symptoms, he said: "We had very different symptoms. She had a higher fever than I did. She had horrible nausea...

"We were eating takeout food that I thought was delicious. It was savoury goodness. It had butter sauces. It had come from a thing, highly recommended joint. And she was saying, 'This tastes like oatmeal to me.' I thought she was insane.

"I had bones that felt like they were made out of soda crackers and bone-crushing fatigue."

Tom also confessed to being shocked by their diagnosis.

He admitted: "We had no idea how it could have happened or where."

While the 'Splash' star recently implored his fans to wear face masks in public to reduce the risk of spreading the disease.

He said: "If you can't wear a mask and wash your hands and social distance, I've got no respect for you."