Should You Get Vaccinated For COVID-19 If You've Already Had It?

If you ’ve already been infected with COVID-19 , you may be wonder whether you necessitate to be immunize against the computer virus . The short resolution is : yes ! Here ’s what you require to know .

TheWorld Health Organizationand theUS Centers for Disease Control and Preventionhave both say the vaccine can be offered to you no matter of whether you already had a COVID-19 infection . The CDC say they made this decision found on   the convincing amount of evidence that it’spossible to be reinfected with the disease .

“ We do n’t know the strength of protection from infection and many of the people getting vaccinated do n’t know if they ’ve been infected due to the high rates of asymptomatic transmission,”Professor Peter   Hotez , dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and co - director of the Texas Children ’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development , told IFLScience .

A fairish amount of grounds has shown that it ’s possible to beinfected with COVID-19 twice . At this current time , however , there are still a mess of things about COVID-19 reinfection we do n’t have it off about . One of the main questions is how long antibodies from an infection last . Some studies have suggested that antibodies to Covid-19may fade awaywithin two to three months , while others have paint a picture even mild infectionsmight glint long - condition immunitysince there ’s some evidence of memory thyroxine cell responses . In all likelihood , resistant retentivity is likely to differ between people and how harsh the illness is , with more severe case in all probability triggering a strong immune reception .

“ Our data point evince that 90 percentage of people previously infect with SARS - CoV-2 have durable resistance   – the resistant response is there and it stays . But it also means that 10 percent of COVID-19 survivor have washy immune retentivity and may be vulnerable to a case of recurrent COVID-19 infection in the future , or they may be more likely to infect others,”explainedDr Alessandro Sette , a professor at La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology , also speaking to IFLScience .

“ regrettably , we currently have no loose means to measure different type of retention liothyronine electric cell and B cubicle in concert with antibodies , ” Sette added . “ But even if we knew grade of antibodies and T cells , we do n’t have enough info to determine how much is enough to protect individuals from infection and/or serious illness and therefore the nonremittal decision would be to get vaccinated . "

Granted , it ’s also unclear how long the vaccinum may end up protect you either , since the run have not been long enough to definitively show this , although the data point so far is promising . It’sbeen determinedthat protection from the Pfizer vaccinum does not wane for at least two months , while Moderna ’s vaccineproduces potent antibodiesthat last for at least three month . It ’s remember the immunity will end up last for longer than this , but the data is n’t available yet .

“ It is likely that vaccination would also boost the degree of unsusceptibility win by rude unsusceptibility , " notice Dr   Sette .

There ’s also no grounds that having the vaccine is speculative for people who ’ve already COVID-19 . The clinical trial for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccinum did not actively recruit people who had already catch the disease , but it ’s believed that up to10 pct of participantshad had the virus due to the front of certain neutralizing antibodies . As with everybody else in the run ,   the vaccinum proved to be safe overall , with very limited side - effects . However , the CDCdoes suggestthat people should waitress at least 90 days after   infection with COVID-19 “ as a precautionary measure until extra information becomes available . ”

Unfortunately , not everyone will beinstantly offered the opportunityto be vaccinated against COVID-19.It could be argued that those with a anterior transmission at a lower risk and should be pushed to the back of the queue and not prioritise . As such , the WHOhas suggestedindividuals may wish well to remit their own inoculation for up to 6 months " give the special vaccine supply . "   While this nominate signified in hypothesis ,   it will most likely be a choice left up to the individual and not enshrined in any rules .

“ As for prioritizing , we do n’t have a system in place to operationalize those with a previous contagion , so for now probably not a measure . And at least one one-half with a premature infection do n’t make love it , ” adds Hotez .

For more information about COVID-19 , check out theIFLScience COVID-19 hubwhere you could succeed the current state of the pandemic , the progress of vaccinum development , and further insights into the disease .