Coronavirus | Why people with prior infection still need COVID-19 vaccination
The HinduAs on January 1, nearly 10.3 million SARS-CoV-2 cases have been reported in India, and in all about 50% of people in large urban cities and about 30% of those across India would have already been infected. “A small minority of those with even symptomatic infection do not end up making high levels of antibodies, and another small minority of such naturally infected people do not make long-lasting antibodies. But immune responses in vaccinated people are still being studied, particularly to understand what is protective and how long protection lasts,” says Dr. Kang in an email. “Based on all that we know and do not know at this time, it is advised that even if you have been infected before, you should take the vaccine.” “Both practical considerations as well as lack of precise information on how long immunity lasts after a natural infection necessitates that we do not discriminate against people, says Dr. Ravi. But since we do not know how long protection lasts, what constitutes a measure of protection and the logistics of getting people in priority groups back when the period of protection has waned, I think it would be challenging to establish a system that denies vaccination to those recently infected, even for a limited time,” emphasises Dr. Kang.