Experts confirm that people who have had Covid-19 and recovered from the disease have immunity for several months to years. But vaccination is still essential to them.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that the Covid-19 vaccine be given as a priority for healthcare workers, people in nursing homes, people over 65 years of age or with a chronic illness.
However, many people still wonder if the case of SARS-CoV-2 and recovered from the disease requires vaccination. Many cases have recovered from Covid-19 but reinfected, showing that having been infected does not mean that you have long-term immunity. So, when the vaccine is available, should you get it?
The immunity of a person who has previously had Covid-19 is not clear
Scientists say this has not been clearly answered. But with what happened from the beginning of the pandemic to the present, experts recommend vaccination in this case.
"We know that people who have had Covid-19 have immunity for a few months to years. However, we don't know how long it takes each person," said Dr. John Whyte, Medical Director. health care site WebMD, said.
Dr. Whyte noted that if the new virus, SARS-CoV-2, resembles other corona viruses, human immunity could be several years.
Previously, a study published in November suggested that immunity against the virus could last for at least 6 months, or up to several years.
Dr. Whyte added: "We also think that the immunity from the vaccine may be stronger than having been infected with Covid-19 and recovered. With limited resources, I hope those who have had it. Covid-19 will be the 'last gland' because they are more immune than they have never been infected.
In a statement dated December 13, the day before the launch of the Pfizer vaccine in the US, the CDC said those who had already been sick and recovered could be advised to get the Covid-19 vaccine.
The federal health agency asserted that the disease could pose serious health risks, and at the same time, the possibility of re-infection remains high.
"At this point, experts do not know how long a person who has recovered from the disease can be immune. Immunity achieved by an infection, called natural immunity, varies from person to person. Early evidence suggests that natural immunity may not last for too long, "says the CDC.
According to the CDC, experts are also unsure how long the immunity produced by the vaccination lasts. This is difficult to detect until the vaccine is found and more data is available about how it works.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, a leading expert on infectious diseases in the US, also confirmed that those who have been infected also need vaccination. "The answer is yes. Once infected, you cannot be sure how long that protection will last or whether you are well protected. Therefore, vaccines are not contraindicated for those who already have. was sick, "said Dr. Fauci.
Are there any side effects?
Dr. Reshma Ramachandran, a researcher at the Yale National Clinical Physician Scholar Program, told Popsugar that since people with Covid-19 are not allowed to participate in the vaccine trial, there is no definite answer. side effects after injection.
"We know that the immune response is very broad when someone has Covid-19. For mild cases, their ability to protect against reinfection may be less than for someone who has had the disease. However, with the vaccine, everyone will be injected with the same dose to induce an immune response, "explained Dr. Ramachandran.
In short, Dr. Ramachandran said that when someone is vaccinated, we can rest assured they will not have severe symptoms of Covid-19.
According to Dr. Carl J. Fichtenbaum, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Cincinnati Medical, based on current knowledge, vaccination is not harmful.
"It can stimulate a stronger immune response and sometimes make the injection worse for a few days. We don't know if this natural immunity after infection protects people," But some vaccines help fight disease, "said Dr. Fichtenbaum.
Dr. Ramachandran also stressed that the vaccine has been tested in tens of thousands of patients and has not had any serious side effects. However, if you have a history of a severe allergic reaction, you should not get the Covid-19 vaccine.