Reinfection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, means a person was contaminated, recovered, after which later grew to become contaminated once more. An particular person might be reinfected a number of instances. Reinfections are most frequently gentle, however extreme sickness can happen. People who’re reinfected may also unfold the virus to others. Staying updated with vaccines and beginning remedy inside days after creating signs lower an individual’s threat of experiencing extreme sickness from reinfection.
After an infection with SARS-CoV-2, folks’s immune techniques reply to guard them from SARS-CoV-2, together with by creating antibodies. This immune response can present a excessive degree of safety in opposition to an infection with the identical or different SARS-CoV-2 variants for a number of months, however this safety decreases over time. People with weakened immune techniques could have a restricted and even no immune response after an infection. Protection in opposition to extreme COVID-19 sickness usually lasts longer than safety in opposition to SARS-CoV-2 infections generally.
As the virus evolves, new variants with the power to evade an individual’s present immunity can seem and result in an elevated threat for reinfection. Reinfections could happen throughout the first 90 days, and as early as a number of weeks after the earlier an infection, though this doesn’t occur regularly. This threat of early reinfection could improve when new variants emerge.
Reinfections will happen extra regularly because the variety of folks with a historical past of prior an infection will increase and immunity from prior an infection or vaccination decreases over time. Reinfections are a standard characteristic of many respiratory viruses.
COVID-19 Testing for People with a Recent History of Infection
While testing is straightforward, decoding the take a look at ends in the primary 90 days after a earlier an infection might be difficult. CDC has developed testing steering explaining which sort of take a look at folks ought to take beneath completely different circumstances.
Nucleic acid amplification exams (NAATs) resembling polymerase chain response (PCR), are usually extra delicate than antigen exams, nevertheless, they aren’t really useful to check for a brand new an infection when somebody has been beforehand contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 inside the previous 90 days. This is as a result of folks can nonetheless take a look at optimistic utilizing a NAAT for a number of weeks after their an infection, even when they’re not infectious or experiencing signs. This makes it troublesome to find out whether or not a optimistic take a look at utilizing a NAAT signifies a brand new an infection. If you’ve gotten examined optimistic for COVID-19 inside the previous 90 days and are testing for a attainable new an infection (i.e., reinfection), think about using an antigen take a look at or consulting a healthcare supplier.
Protecting Yourself and Others – What You Can Do
If you have been uncovered to the virus that causes COVID-19, you must comply with publicity steering, no matter your vaccination standing or if in case you have had a earlier an infection. For those that have beforehand been contaminated, vaccination affords added safety, particularly in opposition to reinfection resulting in hospitalization. CDC recommends that folks ages 6 months and older, together with these with earlier infections, keep updated with COVID-19 vaccines.
COVID-19-specific remedies and prescription drugs can be found for these eligible, no matter vaccination standing or if they’ve had a earlier an infection. People with symptomatic COVID-19 and threat elements that make them extra prone to get very sick from COVID-19, ought to begin remedy as quickly as attainable, no matter whether or not they have had a earlier an infection. If you don’t have a healthcare supplier, go to a Test to Treat location or contact your area people well being middle or well being division.
What CDC is doing
We proceed to study extra about reinfections, particularly as new SARS-CoV-2 variants emerge.
CDC is working with a number of companions and utilizing a variety of knowledge sources to raised perceive essential information gaps about reinfections, together with:
- who is at greater threat of reinfection, particularly these resulting in hospitalization;
- how quickly reinfections happen after a earlier an infection;
- how extreme reinfections are in comparison with preliminary infections; and
- is reinfection related to threat of poorer outcomes or problems in acute or lengthy covid section
