I was infected with Covid-19 once and had 3 doses of the vaccine. Can I be re-infected? What are the signs? What are the symptoms of re-infection? (Duong, 36 years old, Hanoi ).
Reply:
Currently, Vietnam has new variants such as: XBB.1.5, XBB.1.9.1, XBB.1.16... which spread much faster than old variants such as Omicron. You have received three doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, you may have immunity after the first infection. However, this immunity can only last for at least 6 months and will gradually decrease over time. Therefore, you can completely get reinfected with Covid-19 one or more times.
According to Nature magazine, data from countries shows that the rate of Covid-19 reinfection ranges from 5-15%, which is expected to increase over time. Signs of reinfection depend on the type of variant. For example, when you are infected with the XBB.1.5 and XBB.1.9.1 variants, the main symptoms are fever, stuffy nose, cough; the XBB.1.16 variant mainly causes fever, sore throat, runny nose. When reinfected, the average time for the body to eliminate the virus is about 5 days (the first infection is 7 days). People who are vaccinated against Covid-19 will eliminate the virus faster.
People who had mild symptoms during their first Covid-19 infection were more likely to have mild symptoms when they were reinfected. A study comparing 6,000 people who had been infected once and 1,300 who had been reinfected found that the rate of severe, critical illness or death after reinfection was nearly 90% lower than after the first infection.
Reinfection is most risky for people who have had severe Covid-19. The elderly, those with underlying diseases such as high blood pressure, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes, immunocompromised people... are at risk of severe progression when reinfected with Covid-19. According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health 's analysis of recent hospitalized Covid-19 cases, the group with underlying diseases accounts for 86%.
Everyone should take preventive measures against Covid-19 to prevent the risk of reinfection. Specifically, get a booster dose of the vaccine; wear a mask in public; avoid crowded places. Elderly people and those with underlying diseases need to stabilize their underlying diseases, get vaccinated against influenza, pneumococcus... to prevent overlapping diseases, reduce the risk of severe illness if infected with Covid-19.
Master, Doctor Mai Manh Tam
Deputy Head of Respiratory Department, Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi
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