Past Covid-19 Infection
Relying on natural immunity that may be “variable and weak” is not a great idea. That would be like relying on a car, a parachute, a condom, or a combination of the three that’s “variable and weak" - Bruce Y. Lee
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If I’ve already had COVID, do I need a vaccine? And how does the immune system respond? An expert explains
Over a year into the pandemic, questions around immune responses after COVID continue to confound. One question many people are asking is whether the immunity you get from contracting COVID and recovering is enough to protect you in the future. The answer is no, it’s not.
Here’s why.
Remind me, how does our immune response work?
Immune responses are innate or acquired. Innate, or short-term immunity, occurs when immune cells that are the body’s first line of defence are activated against a pathogen like a virus or bacteria.
If the pathogen is able to cross the first line of defence, T-cells and B-cells are triggered into action. B-cells fight…
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Covid-19 Reinfections For Unvaccinated Over Twice As Likely Compared To Vaccinated
Compared to natural exposure to the virus, vaccine doses are more consistent and directed. A vaccine essentially tells your immune system, “hey dude or dudette, focus on the spike protein. No, not on something else. Just the spike protein.” Therefore, in addition to being stronger and less variable, vaccine protection could potentially last longer than natural immunity.
People who had COVID should still get vaccinated, according to the CDC
While previous studies have shown that antibodies produced during an unvaccinated individual’s immune response to the virus offer some protection against reinfection, this new report supports the claim that vaccines offer more consistent and robust protection than natural antibodies alone.
Vaccines give good protection against Delta, and fully vaccinated people with a previous COVID-19 infection are the best-protected group, real-world data shows
Protection against infection was higher when people had previously caught COVID-19, the study authors said in a preprint posted Thursday.
Does Natural Immunity Protect Against the Delta Variant, or Do I Still Need the Vaccine?
While an infection creates antibodies against all the proteins in a particular viral strain, vaccination is more focused on neutralizing the most important protein. "The spike protein, which binds to receptors to get inside a person's cells, is the most important protein for a wide variety of strains," says Lakdawala. Antibodies against the virus' spike proteins neutralize the entire virus, she explains, which prevents it from entering the cells and making you sick.
If I’ve already had COVID, do I need a vaccine? And how does the immune system respond? An expert explains
One question many people are asking is whether the immunity you get from contracting COVID and recovering is enough to protect you in the future. The answer is no, it’s not.
CDC
The CDC advises that unvaccinated individuals who have contracted COVID-19 wait until symptoms have improved and at least ten days have passed since their positive test to get vaccinated. Individuals who were treated for the virus with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma should wait 90 days before receiving a shot.
Past infection increases vaccine response six-fold
Health workers with previous Covid-19 infections had six times the immune response to one dose of the Pfizer jab than those who hadn't had the virus.
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