Why You Still Need a Booster Even After a Serious COVID Illness
If by this point you have not personally contracted any variant of COVID-19, you may have a ” well, in the end, I’ll get it.” This is not necessarily true (and it’s not the best attitude), but it could definitely be.
More than ever, the current surge in positive COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations underscores what we have always known was possible, but seems to be happening more and more often: breakthrough cases after vaccinations . But what does a breakthrough mean for your immunity? Why should you still get a booster after you’ve already contracted the virus?
Lifehacker spoke with Dr. Sachin Nagrani , Medical Director of Heal , about the latest advances in Omicron and what this option means for your vaccination schedule. If you are one of many positive experiences over the past few weeks, here’s what you need to know about continuing to receive your booster.
What is the difference between vaccines and natural immunity?
Both natural infection and vaccinations allow your body’s immune system to make the antibodies it needs to fight disease, but they are not equally effective.
It is true that you get a temporary boost in immunity from natural infection. “ Temporal is the key word,” says Nagrani. Immunity from infection weakens faster than immunity from a vaccine. “We do not yet have studies that directly compare the breakthrough case with a booster dose [in terms of immunity],” says Nagrani, “but given what we know about the original vaccine, the booster vaccine is expected to provide a longer lasting effect. immunity compared to your breakthrough infection. “
Why is it still necessary to be vaccinated after infection?
Amber D’Souza, Ph.D. , an epidemiologist at Bloomberg Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, told Verywell that “among those who have had COVID, the risk of contracting COVID again is higher among those who have not been vaccinated than among those who were vaccinated. … “Therefore, experts recommend that you continue to receive a booster, even if there is no specific Omicron data to support this.
The lack of data may sound discouraging, but experts such as Nagrani say it’s this level of uncertainty that is why you should get vaccinated anyway. “You cannot be sure what kind of ‘natural immunity’ you will acquire or how long it will last,” says Nagrani, “and a vaccine will provide a much better guarantee.”
Do I really need a booster?
The need for revaccinations does not mean that the original vaccines did a poor job. ” COVID-19 vaccines are good at preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death,” the CDC said . “However, public health experts are starting to see a decline in protection against mild to moderate disease over time, especially among certain populations.”
Beth Skorecki, senior editor for health at Lifehacker, argues that Omicron makes vaccination even more important than it used to be:
If you have had COVID before and thought you were probably immune, you may be more susceptible to Omicron than previous options. And vaccines protect you and those around you for the same reasons as before. Remember, vaccines are now available to everyone ages 5 and up , so get vaccinated if you haven’t already.
Nagrani also points out that the main purpose of the vaccine was to prevent large-scale hospitalization and death. This means that even though vaccines are supposed to make individual cases less serious, there is still a risk of individual transmission, especially in the case of the highly infectious drug Omicron.
When should the time to revaccinate after infection be calculated?
If you have tested positive for COVID and want to get a booster shot as soon as possible, it is a good idea to at least wait until the symptoms have gone away .
Otherwise, given the lack of specific data for Omicron, Nagrani estimates that you probably have a 30-day window of natural immunity between your occasional breakout and your booster appointment. Other experts suggest a larger window, such as Dr. Angela Branch , who told the Miami Herald that vaccinated people with a breakthrough infection probably do not need booster vaccinations “for three to six months after recovery, although it would be safe to receive a booster dose after two weeks. after the complete disappearance of symptoms. “
While the timing of obtaining immunity will vary from person to person, Nagrani’s position is that it’s best not to wait. The protection you get from a vaccine will last longer and provide much more confidence than natural immunity. We don’t know exactly how breakout infection compares to a booster vaccine, but we do know that natural immunity is imperfect.
Final thoughts
The rise in popularity of Omicron seems to coincide perfectly with the widespread availability of booster doses in the United States, and Nagrani notes that Omicron peaks in most models around mid to late January.
“Over time, we will continue to look for ways to combat the virus,” says Nagrani. Vaccines (including booster vaccines) are at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19. However, reinforced or not, it is important to continue to practice safety measures such as proper masking and social distancing.
Finally, and perhaps it should be taken for granted: breakthrough infections are not recommended as a deliberate method to further “hack” your immunity. Here is the CDC’s guide to getting a booster .