Reinfected Marines additionally had decrease ranges of antibodies from their preliminary bout, in contrast with Marines who did not get reinfected.
“Two-thirds of the 19 Marines who had been reinfected did not have measurable neutralizing antibodies,” Sealfon famous, suggesting that some individuals who get contaminated do not generate antibodies.
The excellent news: Having antibodies after an infection does shield you towards reinfection. The dangerous information: Even when you’ve had COVID, there stays a threat you may get it once more.
“That may not trigger issues for the affected person, and definitely younger individuals — like these in our examine — are largely asymptomatic,” Sealfon stated. “But it surely definitely can imply that there’s a threat that they will then transmit a brand new an infection to those that are extra weak.”
Which means mask-wearing, social distancing and getting vaccinated will nonetheless be essential, no matter your prior an infection historical past.
“Vaccination to supply further safety remains to be warranted for individuals who’ve been contaminated,” Sealfon stated. “As a result of we all know that you simply definitely enhance your antibody response with vaccination, even when you have already got antibodies.”
However Dr. Sandro Cinti, a professor of infectious illness at Michigan Medication on the College of Michigan in Ann Arbor, stated it is best to not learn an excessive amount of into these findings.
“These are early outcomes, with a really small variety of sufferers,” he famous. “It’s important to be very cautious deciphering all of the COVID research which can be popping out now, lots of which haven’t been peer-reviewed.”
Cinti stated a viral an infection sometimes does present safety from additional an infection.
“Is there the potential for reinfection with COVID? Possibly,” he stated. “However none of those research reply that query anyplace close to definitively. The one factor definitive is that we simply do not actually know.”
The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management recommends everybody 18 and older get vaccinated — whether or not or not they’ve had COVID, Cinti stated.
“It is sensible as a result of we all know the safety charge with vaccination is about 95%, and we do not know what the safety charge is for COVID sufferers,” he stated. “I think it is also that top, however we do not know that.”
