Coronavirus: Why you shouldn’t feel ‘invincible’ if you have had COVID

Almost two years have passed by and we're still living in a pandemic-ridden world. Even with vaccinations and various treatments available, the SARs-COV-2 virus and new emerging variants continue to wreak havoc.

In the last two years, many have been infected. While a large number of people managed to survive the disease and move past it, some unfortunately succumbed to it. However, what's more problematic is the fact that those who beat the disease have come to believe that they're almost "invincible" i.e. they feel they cannot contract the virus again. But are we right in assuming so? Let us find out.

Also read: Coronavirus: Does exposure to Omicron improve our immunity? Here’s what experts say

People who have contracted and recovered from a coronavirus infection can expect to have a certain level of immunity against the SARs-COV-2 virus, which means they're safe from a repeated bout of infection. However, health experts remain uncertain about how long the protection is likely to last.

While the chances of COVID re-infection are said to be extremely rare, given the emergence of new variants and the occurrence of multiple mutations, health agencies believe there could be a possibility.

Also read: Coronavirus prevention: How many times you can reuse your N95 mask and the health risk of using it beyond its expiry

According to an analysis by UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS), the risk of reinfection is 16 times higher when Omicron was the dominant variant, compared with the period when Delta was dominant.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says, "Preliminary evidence suggests there may be an increased risk of reinfection with Omicron (ie, people who have previously had COVID-19 could become reinfected more easily with Omicron), as compared to other variants of concern, but information is limited."

Many clinical studies have suggested that before the emergence of Omicron, recovery from COVID-19 infections made people a lot less likely to get infected again, at least for many months. However, the Omicron variant has turned the tables.

According to a non-peer-reviewed UK study, the new COVID variant has the potential to evade immunity from past infection or two vaccine doses. Another study conducted by Danish researchers also found that the Omicron had the ability to escape natural immunity in both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals.

Although the new COVID variant Omicron has been mild, the high transmissibility rate of the virus only suggests that it is more virulent and that it can lead to re-infection as well as breakthrough infections.

Up until now, scientists and medical professionals are uncertain as to how long protection from a natural infection or vaccine immunity lasts.

Dr. William Schaffner, professor of preventive medicine and infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center told Healthline, “There are some people who have the notion that after you’ve gotten a natural infection, you will be permanently protected against COVID-19 as if this were measles. But the two viruses that cause these infections are very, very different. The coronavirus protection wanes naturally after a period of time.”

“We all know we can get repeated common colds, and the studies on those viruses indicate that their protection begins to wane after about a year, and of course we can get new infections down the road,” he added.

Since the onset of coronavirus, different research has disclosed different data. While an October 2021 study reveals that for people who recover from COVID-19, immunity could last for about 3 months to 5 years, another study found that immunity can last for as long as 8 months.

However, experts have said that more research is needed to confirm the same.

Other than new emerging variants and waning immunity, there are many other factors that could put you at risk of re-infection.

As compared to vaccinated and boosted individuals, those who are unvaccinated continue to remain at risk of repeated infection, which could also be severe. While breakthrough infections are a possibility too, the illness is likely to be milder and there is a reduced chance of hospitalization and death.

Additionally, immunocompromised people and those with pre-existing comorbidities may be prone to re-infection. This is why health officials have prioritized booster shots among the most vulnerable in the society.

Those who have recently recovered from COVID-19 may be safe from another bout of infection. However, they need to be extra cautious as long COVID could take a toll.

Long COVID occurs in people who continue to experience COVID symptoms even after they have recovered from the illness or tested negative. People may continue to feel weak, fatigued, may have persistent cough, headaches and more.

People with pre-existing health conditions, especially chronic heart conditions, need to take things slow. While recovered COVID patients may feel invincible, one must pay attention to post-COVID care.

As per a recent BMJ study, 1/3 of older adults infected with COVID-19 in 2020 developed at least one new health condition that required medical attention post COVID. Besides conditions associated with the heart, kidneys and lungs, mental health complications were also reported.

Note that taking care of yourself post-recovering and staying vigilant - wearing masks, social distancing - are important steps to curb the spread.