Should you get a COVID-19 vaccine if you’ve had the virus?
Yes. Regardless of previous infection, the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention says people should plan on getting vaccinated
when it's their turn.
Dr. Sharon Nachman, of Stony Brook
Children's Hospital, agrees. Watch the video below for her explanation:
IMMUNITY
After someone recovers, their immune system should keep them from
getting sick again right away.
“Your immune system is able to identify the virus, and protect
itself,” said Dr. Saskia Popescu, an infectious disease expert at George Mason
University.
HOW LONG DOES IMMUNITY LAST?
Scientists still don’t know exactly how long this immunity lasts
or how strong it is, though recent research suggests the protection could last
for several months.
It’s impossible to know how long a person might be immune, said
Dr. Prathit Kulkarni, an infectious disease expert at Baylor College of
Medicine. “There’s no way to calculate that.”
HOW DOES THE VACCINE WORK WITH IMMUNITY?
Vaccines, by contrast, are designed to bring about a more
consistent and optimal immune response. And they should boost whatever
preexisting immunity a person might have from an infection, experts say.
If you’ve been infected in the last three months, the CDC says
it's OK to delay vaccination if you want to let others go first while supplies
are limited.