Millions of people around the world have recovered from the novel coronavirus, and one of their primary concerns is if they can get re-infected by Covid-19. Have they developed immunity, and if so, for how long? There have been a few instances of people who have been declared recovered, testing positive again, raising fears of re-infection.
As of now, scientists are unable to say whether re-infection is possible, and if so, after how much time. They are also unsure whether an infected person becomes immune to re-infection. New guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States attempts to answer some of these questions in light of updated knowledge from the latest research.
To help you with these questions, Outlook got in touch with Dr. Seema Dhir, Sr. Consultant, Internal medicine, Artemis Hospitals.
Can a person get infected again after recovering from Covid-19?
Yes, one can get re-infected
Is the treatment the same if the person gets re-infected?
Yes, the treatment remains the same in the re-infection cases
Are the symptoms the same?
Symptoms and severity can vary
How can we prevent re-infection?
Re-infection can be prevented by Covid appropriate behavior
Can a person take two different vaccines?
No, you can’t take 2 different vaccines
Can you get Covid-19 even after vaccination? Are symptoms the same the second time?
Yes, one can get Covid even after complete vaccination but it will most likely be a mild disease with very little chance of requiring hospitalization. After vaccination, you are more likely to be an asymptomatic carrier if you get infected which means that you develop no symptoms of the disease but continue to shed the virus. So, Covid appropriate behaviour is even more important as one may transmit the infection to non-vaccinated people who become symptomatic.
