08 Aug 2021

If you have had COVID-19, do not for one moment think you do not need to be vaccinated. In fact, according to a study released Friday(August 6) by the US Centres for disease Control, you are twice as likely to be re-infected as the new rampant mutants of COVID-19 appear to have very little regard for your natural immunity built during your previous encounter with the disease.

The report adds that people who previously had COVID-19 get a dramatic boost to their COVID-19 immunity, including against various mutations of the disease once they get vaccinated.

Though limited, the study of COVID-19 infections among people who were previously infected with SAR-CoV-2 shows that unvaccinated individuals were more than double (2.34 times) as likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 than those who were fully vaccinated after initially contracting the virus.  The study thus indicates that COVID-19 vaccines offer better protection than natural immunity alone and that, vaccines, even after prior infection, help prevent re-infections.

“If you have had COVID-19 before, please still get vaccinated. Getting the vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others around you, especially as the more contagious Delta variant spreads,” said CDC Director Dr Rochelle Walensky. 

Dr Mogomotsi Matshaba of the Presidential COVID-19 Task Force says, even without the study anybody should know that getting the vaccine is important.

“First you only have limited protection from the variant that attacked you. You’re not protected from other variants. A vaccine offers you protection also from other variants.”

Dr Matshaba encouraged people to vaccinate as the government continues to receive vaccines from suppliers.

Getting vaccinated will reduce your chances of getting ill, being hospitalised or even dying from COVID-19. The vaccines remain safe contrary to misinformation being peddled by some people. ends