Unvaccinated are Twice as Likely to be Reinfected with COVID

Many people have put off the COVID-19 vaccination because they’ve already had the virus and are relying on natural immunity to keep them protected. But new evidence shows that if you’ve had COVID-19 and are unvaccinated, you are more than twice as likely to be reinfected, compared to those who had COVID and have been vaccinated.

The Kentucky-based study found that the levels of antibodies in those who previously had COVID and were not fully vaccinated were “weak and variable,” leaving the immune system ill-equipped to handle a threat like the coronavirus. The virus itself can be unpredictable, with infections ranging from asymptomatic to severe illness, and similarly, the type of immune response from infections varies from person to person.

Researchers found that those who had COVID-19 and had since received the Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines had higher levels of antibodies against the virus. In fact, their bodies were more apt to fight the virus and provide better neutralization of some circulating variants than those who had COVID-19 and did not subsequently get vaccinated. This suggests that vaccination further boosts the immune protection against COVID-19 among those who already had COVID.

Although antibodies from natural infection may provide some protection against the virus, evidence shows that the vaccine does a more consistent and direct job of instructing the immune system how to fight the virus and how to target the spike protein. Vaccination not only reduces the risk of reinfection; it will help reduce the likelihood of serious symptoms and suppress the ability for variants to emerge.

Getting vaccinated and wearing a mask is the best way to protect yourself and others around you from getting sick. To schedule a vaccine today, visit brgeneral.org/vaccine.