<p>About eleven months after the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in Kasargod, Kerala on February 3, 2020, we still have a lot to learn about the novel Coronavirus. While concerns about reinfection loom large, much research is required to understand how long the antibodies developed after a recent Covid-19 infection will protect a person, if at all — and are the antibodies even strong enough to fight a reinfection?</p>.<p>The question ‘whether one can be reinfected with Covid-19’ was answered in August 2020 when a 33-year-old man from Hong Kong was infected by the same virus a second time. This was followed by another case of reinfection of a 25-year-old man from the United States. While these case studies are yet to be peer-reviewed, they bring clarity that reinfection is a reality. After these global developments, it was noted that if SARS-CoV-2 (virus that causes Covid-19), follows the footsteps of other pre-existing viruses like Coronavirus, reinfection will be common and will not remain to be a one-off case study.</p>.<p>Now if Covid-19 reinfection becomes the ‘new normal’, will it follow the path of common viruses that give you a cold every year as the season changes? If so, one must understand one key difference between the two — seasonal cold is not fatal, Covid-19 can be, and can have a devastating and long-lasting impact.</p>.<p>Researchers across the globe continue to state that the life and strength of antibodies need to be studied deeply; this would require conducting large studies with a wider range of people who have recently recovered from Covid-19. Closer home, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is studying the reinfection episodes among those who have been treated for Covid-19. While more data-driven facts are awaited, it needs to be understood that we cannot take antibodies for granted; they do not make for an ‘immunity passport’ as World Health Organisation (WHO) aptly put it. Getting a Covid-19 vaccine may prevent you from getting seriously ill even if you do get infected, and it will protect people around you, particularly those at high risk. </p>.<p>Now we know reinfection is real; so while we wait for the regulator approved Covid-19 vaccines, let’s continue to safeguard ourselves and our loved ones — it may be a few months before you get the jab. Stay safe, positive, and if you’ve been infected before, don’t take antibodies for granted!</p>.<p><em>(<span class="italic">The author is a specialist in infectious disease.)</span></em></p>
<p>About eleven months after the first case of Covid-19 was confirmed in Kasargod, Kerala on February 3, 2020, we still have a lot to learn about the novel Coronavirus. While concerns about reinfection loom large, much research is required to understand how long the antibodies developed after a recent Covid-19 infection will protect a person, if at all — and are the antibodies even strong enough to fight a reinfection?</p>.<p>The question ‘whether one can be reinfected with Covid-19’ was answered in August 2020 when a 33-year-old man from Hong Kong was infected by the same virus a second time. This was followed by another case of reinfection of a 25-year-old man from the United States. While these case studies are yet to be peer-reviewed, they bring clarity that reinfection is a reality. After these global developments, it was noted that if SARS-CoV-2 (virus that causes Covid-19), follows the footsteps of other pre-existing viruses like Coronavirus, reinfection will be common and will not remain to be a one-off case study.</p>.<p>Now if Covid-19 reinfection becomes the ‘new normal’, will it follow the path of common viruses that give you a cold every year as the season changes? If so, one must understand one key difference between the two — seasonal cold is not fatal, Covid-19 can be, and can have a devastating and long-lasting impact.</p>.<p>Researchers across the globe continue to state that the life and strength of antibodies need to be studied deeply; this would require conducting large studies with a wider range of people who have recently recovered from Covid-19. Closer home, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) is studying the reinfection episodes among those who have been treated for Covid-19. While more data-driven facts are awaited, it needs to be understood that we cannot take antibodies for granted; they do not make for an ‘immunity passport’ as World Health Organisation (WHO) aptly put it. Getting a Covid-19 vaccine may prevent you from getting seriously ill even if you do get infected, and it will protect people around you, particularly those at high risk. </p>.<p>Now we know reinfection is real; so while we wait for the regulator approved Covid-19 vaccines, let’s continue to safeguard ourselves and our loved ones — it may be a few months before you get the jab. Stay safe, positive, and if you’ve been infected before, don’t take antibodies for granted!</p>.<p><em>(<span class="italic">The author is a specialist in infectious disease.)</span></em></p>