Introduction
The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has been a major concern for people around the world since it was first identified in late 2019. As the virus continues to spread, many people are wondering how often they can get infected with COVID-19. While the answer to this question is not straightforward, there are some factors that can help you understand your risk of infection. In this article, we will discuss the factors that can influence your risk of infection, as well as some tips to help you reduce your risk of getting infected with COVID-19.
How Often Can You Get Infected with COVID?
The novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, is a highly contagious virus that has spread rapidly across the world. As of April 2021, more than 130 million people have been infected with the virus, and the number is still rising. With so many people infected, it’s natural to wonder how often you can get infected with COVID-19.
The short answer is that it’s possible to get infected with COVID-19 more than once. In fact, recent studies have shown that some people can be infected multiple times with the virus. However, the risk of getting infected again is much lower than the risk of getting infected for the first time.
The reason for this is that the body develops immunity to the virus after the first infection. This means that if you have already been infected with the virus, your body is better able to fight off a second infection. However, this immunity is not absolute, and it can wear off over time. This means that if you are exposed to the virus again, you may still be at risk of getting infected.
It’s also important to note that the risk of getting infected again is higher if you have not been vaccinated. Vaccines are designed to help the body develop immunity to the virus, so if you have not been vaccinated, you may be more likely to get infected again.
The best way to protect yourself from getting infected with COVID-19 is to get vaccinated and follow the recommended safety guidelines. This includes wearing a mask, washing your hands often, and avoiding close contact with people who are not in your household. By following these guidelines, you can help reduce your risk of getting infected with the virus.
Since the official beginning of the pandemic in 2020, there have been various variants and subvariants causing surges and spikes in COVID cases. “For two and a half years, Covid-19 has been outrunning our response, getting more and more transmissible, reaching a level of infectiousness that few pathogens have ever attained,” says Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute, professor of molecular medicine and executive vice-president of Scripps Research. Here is the lowdown on COVID reinfections, according to experts. Read on—and to ensure your health and the health of others, don’t miss these Sure Signs You’ve Already Had COVID.
“In recent months, we experienced a striking jump in transmissibility when the Omicron (BA.1) variant became dominant, with at least a threefold increase in reproductive number beyond Delta,” says Topol. “Despite the hope that this might be reaching the upper limit of the virus’s spreadability, we quickly transitioned to a BA.2 wave, with at least another jump of about 30% transmissibility, and now we are heading, in the United States, to a dominant subvariant known as BA.2.12.1, which is another 25% more transmissible than BA.2 and already accounting for close to 50% of new cases.”
“It seems likely to me that that’s going to sort of be a long-term pattern,” says Juliet Pulliam, an epidemiologist at Stellenbosch University in South Africa. “The virus is going to keep evolving. And there are probably going to be a lot of people getting many, many reinfections throughout their lives.”
“If we manage it the way that we manage it now, then most people will get infected with it at least a couple of times a year,” says Kristian Andersen, a virologist at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego. “I would be very surprised if that’s not how it’s going to play out.”
“You don’t have great protection having been infected with BA.1,” says Dr. Warner C. Greene, senior investigator for the Gladstone Institutes. “It’s immunosuppressive. It’s acquiring these mutations which make it like a stealth virus. We have our immune system at the ready trying to prevent these infections, but the virus is now learning how to elude the antibodies. It has less success against the T-cells thank goodness.”
“No, we don’t have to live with Covid, because the Covid we are seeing now is deeply concerning,” says Topol. “While there has not been a surge in hospitalizations, they are clearly on the increase, with more than a 20% rise in the United States over the past two weeks. The proportion of people getting hospitalized and dying among the vaccinated, as compared with the unvaccinated, has substantially increased.
Follow the public health fundamentals and help end this pandemic, no matter where you live—get vaccinated or boosted ASAP; if you live in an area with low vaccination rates, wear an N95 face mask, don’t travel, social distance, avoid large crowds, don’t go indoors with people you’re not sheltering with (especially in bars), practice good hand hygiene, and to protect your life and the lives of others, don’t visit any of these 35 Places You’re Most Likely to Catch COVID.
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