Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine if I had the virus?
Yes. Regardless of the previous infection, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says people should plan to be vaccinated when it is their turn.
“This is a fairly simple question,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, specialist of Johns Infectious Disease, said. “Yes, you need to be vaccinated.”
After someone has recovered, their immune system must prevent them from getting sick again immediately.
“Your immune system can identify the virus and protect itself,” said Dr. Saskia Popescu, an expert in infectious diseases at George Mason University, said.
Scientists do not yet know exactly how long this immunity lasts or how strong it is, although recent research suggests that protection may take several months.
It is impossible to know how long a person can be immune, said dr. Prathit Kulkarni, an expert in infectious diseases at Baylor College of Medicine, said. “There is no way to calculate it.”
In contrast, vaccines are designed to elicit a more consistent and optimal immune response. They should also increase existing immunity to an infection, experts say.
“Since we are in this pandemic and not getting it right, it is safer to vaccinate,” Kulkarni said. “You lose nothing and you can benefit.”
If you have been infected for the past three months, the CDC says it is okay to postpone vaccination if you want to let others go while stocks last.
“If everything is equal, you want the person without protection to go first,” Adalja said.
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The AP answers your questions about the coronavirus in this series. Submit it to: [email protected].
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