You CAN Get COVID-19 Twice
And so, we should always remain vigilant
“Let me just get it and get it over with.”
I have heard this statement from people more than once. This stems from the assumption that, once you get COVID-19 the first time, you will be immune from it forever. Yet, the question has always been on the minds of many — including myself and other healthcare professionals: can you get COVID-19 twice? Can someone who has already had the infection get it again? How long does immunity against COVID-19 last?
The implications of these questions are enormous: with all the work, time, effort, and billions of dollars going into the development of a vaccine, if someone can get COVID-19 a second time, what’s the point of getting a vaccine in the first place? And while it was in the realm of speculation for a long time, more and more data is coming out and confirming that you CAN get COVID-19 twice.
It was first reported in Hong Kong: a 33-year-old man first got COVID-19 in March and then traveling to Europe months later, he got COVID-19 again. How did researchers know it was a re-infection rather than a long-haul infection? They did genetic testing on the virus that was isolated and found it to be two different strains.
