Answer questions about “How long have you been infected with COVID-19 and will you be able to get it again?” And other reinfections.

((((WHTM) — As COVID-19 is approaching its third year of epidemic in the United States, there are still many questions about the virus. Anyone who knows these days may feel infected with the coronavirus. So I asked the experts about when they could meet again after being re-infected, tested, and infected with COVID.

Q: How long can someone catch it again after recovering from COVID-19?

“The original recommendation from the CDC was that once infected with COVID, it is very unlikely that you will be infected with COVID again for the next 90 days, the next 3 months. That has always been the case. , I think that’s still the case, but keep in mind that with Omicron, for example, it can infect people infected with COVID in the fall. Therefore, if there was a delta variant in September, it would be Omicron. Only about 20% protection against.

“One of the hallmarks of Omicron is this concept of anti-immunity. It can evade the immunity produced by previous natural infections and, to some extent, the immunity created by immunity. . “

-Dr. Joseph Contra, Head of Infectious Diseases, Penn Medical Lancaster General Hospital

“We assume you are fully immune for at least 90 days … probably that It will be about 6 months, But that’s probably. And perhaps just as immunity from vaccines declines over time, so does immunity from natural COVID infections.

“Part of the problem is that with a virus that just appeared a little less than two years ago, it’s clearly not immune for more than two years, simply because it didn’t exist long enough. Frankly admitting, we are looking at Omicron, with many breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals, vaccinated boosters, and reinfection with COVID. Some people are starting to see it.

“The good news is that if you are vaccinated, you are much less likely to get sick.”

-Dr. John Goldman, Infectious Disease Specialist, UPMC

“Reinfection from SARSCoV-2 occurs. This is why the CDC always recommends that patients with a history of COVID-19 be vaccinated after clinical recovery. Natural immunity with COVID-19 Some medical professionals have shown that asymptomatic / mild infections do not produce a strong immune response for those who have experienced severe infections. It is difficult to predict the duration of Innate immunity, What some studies mention may last 1-6 months. “

-Dr. Eugene Curly, Infectious Disease Specialist, WellSpan Health

Q: How common is reinfection? Is there a difference between those who have been vaccinated and those who have not been vaccinated?

“We see that reinfections are common and they occur in Omicron, but many people don’t really get sick or reinfect and go to the hospital. As the antibody gradually diminishes from natural infection, perhaps more reinfection is seen, and as the virus evolves, When it comes to new variants, Probably reinfection.

“In my impression, people who have the first two shots but no boosters have a more groundbreaking infection. One of the things that is always very important is,” If you re-infect, you have a breakthrough infection. If so, why do you need to be vaccinated? ” The real problem is that if you have a breakthrough infection, it is likely to be very mild. Breakthrough infections are seen, but they tend to resemble a mild cold and have a slight increase in allergies. Some people get sick, but they rarely go to the hospital. “

-Dr. John Goldman, Infectious Disease Specialist, UPMC

“We are still learning how mutants play a role in reinfection. Vaccinated individuals are not immune to reinfection, but vaccines have additional immune capacity. Protects people from serious illness, hospitalization, and death. “

-Dr. Eugene Curly, Infectious Disease Specialist, WellSpan Health

“In general, if you are not vaccinated, you are probably 5 to 10 times more likely to get infected, and if you are hospitalized, you are probably 15 to 20 times more likely to die from COVID.

“If you’re vaccinated, you can get infected, but … it’s likely to be mild, it’s short-lived, it’s less likely to infect others, and it recovers faster.”

-Dr. Joseph Contra, Head of Infectious Diseases, Penn Medical Lancaster General Hospital

Q: If I have not been vaccinated and have been infected with COVID-19, how long do I have to wait before being vaccinated?

“My advice is to wait 90 days because you know you have 90 days of immunity. If you have existing immunity, the vaccine may have more side effects. So I usually recommend 90 days. You can wait, but I think it’s okay for up to 6 months, but I’m not sure when I’m really immune, so I’ll do it 90 days later.

“If the immune system is suppressed for some reason, I will do it immediately because the person with the immune system probably does not have long-acting antibodies.”

-Dr. John Goldman, Infectious Disease Specialist, UPMC

“According to the CDC guidelines, you can wait 90 days, but in reality people tend to do it much faster. When you feel sick, and as long as you are, I say isolation. If you feel better outside the period (7, 10, or 21 days depending on your immune status), you can get the vaccine. It doesn’t hurt to get it earlier than 90 days. “

-Dr. Joseph Contra, Head of Infectious Diseases, Penn Medical Lancaster General Hospital

Q: How reliable are the COVID-19 test results? Can you trust that the test result is negative and you are no longer infected?

“It depends a bit on the type of test you are taking and when you are testing. We found that antigen testing showed about two-thirds of positive cases compared to PCR. Therefore, if you are undergoing an antigen test, you are about one-third more likely to miss a positive than PCR.

“We found that the first test was often negative and the second test was positive, especially in patients who were vaccinated and were in contact with the home. So, for example, at UPMC, there was home contact. If you have symptoms, you need to do the first test and the second test after 3-5 days to get back to work. Both must be negative. “

-Dr. John Goldman, Infectious Disease Specialist, UPMC

“Antigen tests (most home tests) are not as sensitive as PCR tests. Therefore, antigen tests are prone to false-negative tests. In certain situations (ie, exposed / symptomatic people), antigens. If the test is negative, repeated tests should be performed. Antigen testing is a great tool if you understand its limitations and the clinical background of a particular case. Retesting, isolation, to work / school It is recommended that patients discuss the results of home exams with their health care providers to indicate their return and the need for treatment. “

-Dr. Eugene Curly, Infectious Disease Specialist, WellSpan Health

“It depends on the situation. Let’s say someone is in a household infected with COVID and starts to get sick and start coughing and fever. It is very likely that they are infected with COVID. Therefore, denial. If you have undergone a typical test, especially if you are using one of the home kits, it will be considered unreliable results. Therefore, in such situations you will need to go to a medical facility for a PCR test. ..

“The home test can detect the infection a few days after the infection, while the PCR test will detect it immediately. Therefore, the home antigen test will pick you up when repeated. In the kit. Remember that usually comes with two swabs. It is not supposed to be used by two people. It is supposed to be used by myself today and after about 36 hours. Because when these two tests are used together, an infection is more likely to be detected. “

-Dr. Joseph Contra, Head of Infectious Diseases, Penn Medical Lancaster General Hospital

Q: How long can I safely reunite with other people after being infected with COVID-19?

“If (you or) your friend has a serious illness, that is, if they are hospitalized or need oxygen, wait 20 days * until the infection is gone and then hang out safely. It is recommended to be with them. For mild illness [and] You can test, without testing, for 10 days, and with testing, provided you are getting better, and you do not have a fever. Day 5, And if the antigen test or PCR is negative, you are considered safe and non-infectious.

“The problem is that I’ve seen PCR often stay positive for 30 days and stay positive for months. And two … for example, to older parents and dangers. If you need to get along with someone who has been infected, you will not do it until day 10 if the antigen test is negative, and if there are others you will wait until day 10, if they are infected with COVID. , There was a great risk of getting sick.

“Very serious illness — 20 days. Mild illness, no test — 10 days. Mild illness with negative antigen test — You can return to work on day 5.”

* This is the number of days since the symptoms appeared

-Dr. John Goldman, Infectious Disease Specialist, UPMC

“I don’t trust tests that are done on consecutive days when a person is positive and negative. But someone is infected and gets better in 5 days, another home antigen test. If there is and it is negative, that person has little risk of infection and can orbit around others. “

-Dr. Joseph Contra, Head of Infectious Diseases, Penn Medical Lancaster General Hospital