Recently there was news that India’s first Coronavirus patient, a woman from Kerala has been tested positive again. She was first diagnosed with COVID in January 2020 and is currently asymptomatic and quarantined at her home. Well, this case leads to a bigger question: is there a chance of reinfection after you get a COVID infection? Health authorities have suggested that the woman’s past mild infection could be due to low levels of antibodies, leading to a higher risk of infection.
What is a mild covid infection??
Studies have reported that most of the coronavirus cases are mild in nature, which means a case that doesn’t need hospitalization and gets treated under home care. It is also described as an infection where there are less than 5-6 symptoms like cough, pink eyes, fever, fatigue, loss of smell and taste, aches, and pains.
It has been said that the people who have had mild, or barely noticeable symptoms of coronavirus could possibly be ‘less protected’ than someone with severe coronavirus.
A person with mild COVID can have one or all the symptoms, but the intensity of these can be low and could start to go away after a week or 10 days.
If your body fights with coronavirus the body does get some level of natural immunity or antibodies that protect the body from future infection. It is said that a person who has got natural immunity is safe from reinfection up to 90 days (3 months). Though, there is no evidence to as how long a person who has already contracted COVID-19 is probably safe for the protective immunity in itself
Does a mild infection give less strong immunity?
There might be chances that milder cases provide less strengthened immunity as they heal quicker. It is also said that milder cases are more at risk for reinfection since the level of antibodies mounted could be lower, and hence, less protective by default.
When should you get vaccinated after getting infected?
It is advised that all COVID-19 patients maintain a 3-month gap prior to receiving the vaccine. Should someone with a mild infection get vaccinated earlier?
Well, the debates are still going on. It would be advisable to wait out for at least 2-3 months to get vaccinated since natural immunity might also persist.
Re-infection is a real possibility these days, so keep taking all the necessary precautions. A fight with covid-19 impacts your important organs and weakens the immunity so it is best to stay extra cautious.
Stay safe!
