Since COVID-19 hasn’t existed for long enough to perform a long-term study, researchers at Yale University and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte looked at reinfection data for six other human-infecting coronaviruses, including SARS and MERS, and found that unvaccinated people can expect reinfection in three months after an initial infection and they can be infected repeatedly every 16 to 17 months (The Lancet Microbe, October 1, 2021). They recommend repeat revaccinations for both people who have been infected with COVID-19 and those who have been vaccinated previously.
A previous infection alone does not guarantee protection against another infection.
The risk for COVID-19 reinfection is estimated to be about five percent at three months and 50 percent after 17 months.
Dr. Gabe Mirkin is a Villager. Learn more at www.drmirkin.com