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Medical experts know that vaccines help protect people from COVID-19.
And they know that if someone does contract COVID, being vaccinated improves the chances of having a better outcome. The antibody response created by vaccines decreases the chances of a patient ending up in the hospital, reducing the chances of someone dying.
But the three approved COVID vaccines – versions of Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson – are not the only things that provide a level of immunity. Getting COVID does too.
Which leads to a logical question: is there a difference in protection between vaccines and antibodies created by getting sick?
And, if a patient has already had COVID, does he still need to be vaccinated?
Although the answer to the first question is a bit complicated, national and local medical experts say patients who have had COVID should still get vaccinated to increase their protection.
What is the difference?
Health experts say the verdict is still on the exact difference between getting a vaccine and antibodies created by receiving COVID.
Research on the subject is still in its infancy and early studies have not provided conclusive results.
In its recommendation for people who have had COVID to get vaccinated, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cites a study carried out on hundreds of COVID patients in Kentucky. It showed that unvaccinated patients who previously had COVID were twice as likely to have it again than those who had COVID and were subsequently vaccinated.
“If you’ve had COVID-19 in the past, please still get vaccinated,” CDC director Dr Rochelle Walensky said in an August statement about the study. “This study shows that you are twice as likely to be infected again if you are not vaccinated. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and others, especially as the most contagious delta variant is spreading across the country. “
On the other hand, a study carried out in Israel showed that people who had previously had COVID were more protected against the delta variant than people who had not had COVID and received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
WITH PENN STATE HEALTH AUTHORIZATION
Dr Catherine Paules
“More information is still needed,” said Dr. Catharine Paules, an infectious disease physician at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. “It’s just a guess at this point.”
The lack of clarity is mainly due to a lack of research and data on immunity by contracting COVID. Paules said much more is known about vaccines.
“In terms of protection, we know a lot more about vaccines than about infection,” she said. “We’ll find out more later, but the science isn’t there yet.”
Dr Debra Powell, head of the infectious disease division at Reading Hospital, said obtaining COVID produces a broader antibody response than vaccines. But the more targeted response of the vaccines, which creates an advanced protein antibody, has been shown to be very effective.
“What we’ve seen so far, the advanced protein antibody offers the best protection,” she said.
Paules said the vaccine creates a more predictable response.
“We can really say that you will be protected against serious infection in the future,” she said.
She said the response to getting COVID, on the other hand, could depend on the severity of the infection. People who have no symptoms or who have mild symptoms may not have as strong an antibody response as those with more severe symptoms.
And, Paules said, there may be other factors, immune system responses other than the creation of antibodies, that could affect immunity levels. Things won’t be clear until more research is done.
Layers of protection
When it comes to tackling COVID, Powell said, a one-size-fits-all solution isn’t the answer.
“A lot of the things we do are layered protection,” she said, noting that a combination of things like vaccines and wearing masks is needed to fight the pandemic. “There is no quick fix to this, and the longer we let this virus mutate, the harder it is to fight.”
While it’s still not known how long immunity to vaccines or infection lasts, Powell said it’s clear they’re not permanent. This is why the subject of booster shots has recently arisen.
“The antibodies are going to go down over time anyway,” she said.
Powell said that every time a person is exposed to antigens, whether through a vaccine or infection, they produce antibodies at increasingly high levels.
“There are increasing amplitudes each time you are exposed again,” she said. “That’s why you get booster shots. “
Because it’s unclear what level of antibodies a person needs to be protected against COVID, Powell said it makes sense that people who have already been infected also get vaccinated.
Paules agreed, with a caveat.
She said that while she doesn’t think you can be “overprotected” by getting the vaccine, the question arises whether the side effects of the vaccines might be more severe for those who already have antibody levels already. students.
She said small clinical trials haven’t shown this, but she has heard anecdotally from people who have had COVID experiencing increased headaches and body aches. She has not heard of an increase in serious side effects.
“We are waiting for more data,” she said.
Paules said that in light of the lack of better research, she is encouraging people who have had COVID to receive at least one dose of a COVID vaccine. She said she recommends people in high risk categories get the full vaccine.
Powell said she was following CDC guidelines that everyone, including those who have already been infected, should get a full vaccine.
Powell and Paules also stressed that anyone who has not already had COVID and is not vaccinated should absolutely get vaccinated, stressing the safety and effectiveness.
“You have a much higher risk of serious illness and poor results without antibodies,” Powell said. “If you’ve never been vaccinated, do it now. We still have a lot of COVID in our community right now, and the Delta variant is even more contagious. “
Powell said the majority of people currently hospitalized at Reading Hospital had not been vaccinated and more young people were being admitted.
Paules said she had heard of people who decided not to get the vaccine and instead waited to get infected and develop antibodies that way. Despite all the unknowns that still exist about COVID, she said she was sure it wasn’t a good idea.
“Being infected is no better than the vaccine,” she said. “Which I am 100% sure of. “
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Sources 2/ https://www.readingeagle.com/2021/10/15/covid-infection-antibodies-versus-vaccines The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
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