Should I Get a COVID-19 Vaccine If I’ve Had the Virus?
Yes. Regardless of previous infection, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people should plan to get vaccinated when it’s their turn.
“It’s a pretty simple question,” says Dr. Amesh Adalja, infectious disease specialist at Johns Hopkins. “Yes, you should get vaccinated.”
After a person has recovered, their immune system must prevent them from getting sick again right away.
“Your immune system is able to identify the virus and protect itself,” said Dr. Saskia Popescu, an infectious disease expert at George Mason University.
Scientists are still not sure how long this immunity lasts or how strong it is, from recent research suggests protection could last for several months.
It’s impossible to know how long a person may be immune, said Dr. Prathit Kulkarni, an infectious disease expert at Baylor College of Medicine. “There is no way to calculate that.”
Vaccines, on the other hand, are designed to elicit a more consistent and optimal immune response. And they should boost the pre-existing immunity a person may have against infection, experts say.
“Since we are in this pandemic and have no control over it, vaccination is safer,” said Kulkarni. “You don’t lose anything and you benefit from it.”
If you’ve been infected in the past three months, the CDC says it’s okay to delay vaccination if you want to let others go first as long as supplies are limited.
“If everything is equal, you would want the person to go first without protection,” said Adalja.
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The AP answers your questions about the corona virus in this series. Submit them to: [email protected].
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