A small number of studies suggest that prior COVID-19 infection had “vaccine effectiveness” of 80-93% against future infection, although one study found only 49% for those 65 and older (but this one seems to be an outlier). But these were mostly in the pre-vaccine and pre-Delta (and Omicron) era. They do suggest the prior infection had similar “vaccine effectiveness” as vaccination.
However, other studies suggest that those who had prior infection and subsequently get vaccinated have an even stronger immune response than those who had one of prior infection or vaccination. But there do not seem to be studies about “vaccine effectiveness” after vaccination followed by breakthrough infection.
But protection in any situation is not absolute, in that a few very unlucky people get bad cases even after prior infection and vaccination.
So really nothing specific at this point. I just thought I was missing something.
I was very ill and hospitalized in summer of 2020. At that time I was tested and test came back negative.
Every specialist I saw later for follow up at that time felt I had had Covid, they just tested too soon, a few days before I was hospitalized. Guess they were wrong, or I had it, got vaccinated, and got it again. Is that even possible?
I’ve read the CDC site. We’ve followed all the recommendations.
“Vaccine effectiveness” is not 100% for any of infection, vaccination, or infection+vaccination, although it may be quite high in many cases. But if you are among the unlucky ones, you could get infected again even after infection, vaccination, or infection+vaccination.
I also believe I had Covid - for me, it was before Covid was supposed to be in my area (but later, it was determined that it probably was there). I got both Pfizer shots. A year & a half after I think I may have had Covid, and 7 months after my second dose of the vaccine, I was tested for antibodies. I had a decent level of antibodies, but my doctor told me she has seen much higher levels than I had. I got the booster as soon as I could. Yes, I clearly had antibodies. But I wasn’t about to assume that the level of protection I had prior to the booster was “enough.”
Everyone in our house was symptomatic, including the 4 yr old.
According to my brother, his in-laws and their kids were symptomatic as well. Young adults to over 60. Those who got it were also fully vaccinated.
DH, unvaccinated, was the worst with chills, cough, fever. All of that is gone now; he just feels tired and no appetite. My oldest DD, 27, and a PTA in rehab/nursing home only had runny nose for a few days.
What @laralei has experienced matches what I have anecdotally heard for many breakthrough cases over the last few months. The entire household gets sick at the same time - regardless of vaccination status or timing - indicating they all got infected at the same time from the same source rather than passing it around the family. Also, they all got it regardless of their antibody level (recently boosted, vaccinated a while ago, never vaccinated, etc.).
DH and I got our Moderna boosters the Monday before Thanksgiving. I was fine until the next day when I started to feel tired. Fortunately, a long nap was enough to take care of that. DH experienced a slight headache and chills but also was fine on the 3rd day.
I just scheduled a booster and flu shot for my college age son. They are scheduling two weeks out right now around here. At least I got an appointment only one town away - no long travels like for the original vaccines.
@laralei, glad you all recovered. I would think the vaccine and/or possible infection earlier helped it not be so severe. And yes, I think you can get reinfected like the flu, but a flu shot keeps it from being so bad. It’s probably likely that docs will be pushing flu shots and covid shots every year from here on out.
My 18 yr old daughter just got her Pfizer booster yesterday. She was tired last night and had a sore arm, but feels fine today.
I just booked a booster for my college freshman over her Christmas break. I read that the University of Notre Dame is requiring boosters to be considered fully vaccinated now. While my daughter doesn’t go there, I checked with her college and they have no plans to require it unless the CDC changes its definition of “fully vaccinated” to include boosters which, given the struggle to get two shots into people, doesn’t seem likely. But I wanted her to have it for a couple reasons, including the convenience of being home.
I have a nursing student who works in two different hospitals, and not a word from them about boosters. Again, I think it’s also the “we are still trying to get two shots into people, we are not concerned right now with a booster” attitude. She is waiting to get her booster, if she gets it at all.
Personally, I got mine but I did not sign up for getting one every six months. I guess we will see where things stand in a year.
My medical boy got his booster as soon as he could and is glad we got ours too.
I’m sure his mind is biased a bit due to seeing what he sees where he works, including “kids” his age (mid 20s) in the ICU for long periods of time. One, he tells me, is over Covid but they can’t wake him up and they’ve been trying for some time. It might be permanent brain damage.
Most in their 20s do fine, of course, but there are some that send shivers down the spine. I feel for their families - and this particular 20+ year old wasn’t vaxxed at all.
If it’s determined to be best to get boosters every 6 months for the rest of my life, I’m on board. We’re not getting any younger and many “old age” prescriptions are daily, not bi-annually. It doesn’t matter if they’re injection or pill form really. If you ask me what’s in any of them, I haven’t a clue. I’m just willing to trust majority medical experience esp as I age.
@4kids4us I think boosters are available now for age 16-17. My son is scheduled for his today (age 16), and I’m sure there was an option for that age range on the appt scheduling.
Based on super recent news that Pfizer is showing a little less effective against Omicron, I am wondering if I should ask if I can get him Moderna (he is scheduled for Pfizer as that’s what he had first). Although, honestly this might just mean that Moderna and J and J haven’t completed their Omicron testing yet and it could turn out exactly the same. …or worse!
EDIT: I just read a (badly written MSN) article that seemed to state that the lower Pfizer effectiveness was for 2 doses, and the 3rd bumps it back up to not-less-effective. If anyone has clarification let me know!
For those who have had covid recently, yes do your own research or ask your doc, my doc back in Jan said I could wait 3 months to vaccinate and would likely have stronger side effects. If I was in this position now, I would wait…with the hope that there may be a variant booster when those three months were up.
@TS0104 here is an article someone shared with me from the NYT that might be better written than what you read.
As for 16-17 y/os being eligible, when I google it, the most recent news I’ve been able to find is from 11/30 that indicated Pfizer was attempting to get approval for that age group, but I havent seen anything saying it had been approved. I haven’t tried recently to get D16 an appointment, but when I last tried around Thanksgiving, as soon as I put in her birthday in the CVS app it said she was not eligible. I’ll have to try again.
Editing to add: I just tried to schedule and while technically, I could proceed to the scheduling page after putting in her birth date at the beginning, it did say in two spots that only 18+ are eligible so I did not proceed.
Thanks for the article!
I dug around more and I see that text now if I try to make my son a new appt. (Grocery store, not CVS). My appt is at same store a few hours before his today so I will ask. But you might be right. I was able to schedule it though! But I’m not sure if their scheduling process asked for his birthdate. I will let you know.
As I have written before, I am in a John’s Hopkins study for immunocompromised/chronic conditions. Before my booster, my semi-quantitative antibody level was 1075. Two weeks after my booster it was reported as >2500, probably quite a bit higher. I just had my blood test for one month after the booster and will report that if it is any different, but I expect, again, that it will be >2500, Then I test at 3 months, 6 months, a year.
