What are chances of Reinfection of COVID 19 in India ?

COVID 19  Re-Infection  Rate in India 

COVID 19  Re-Infection rates among fully vaccinated healthcare professionals are relatively low, ranging between 5 and 6 percent.

One thing to keep in mind is that none of them required special attention. Due to comorbidities, a few of them were on ventilators. As a result, if the general population, who is not exposed to the virus daily, the chances of reinfection are extremely low.

It is critical to understand the distinction between relapse and reinfection, how frequently it occurs, and what precautions people should take when out in public. This contributes to better treatment techniques and a better knowledge of the new Coronavirus. 

According to experts, this is no cause for alarm, and reinfection is extremely unlikely. From a layperson's perspective, it is critical to understand the testing procedure and its limits, as well as to minimize stress related to COVID-19 reinfection.

One potential stumbling block is the test itself. The RT/PCR test, which is performed in conjunction with the swab, reveals Coronavirus infection in 70% of the patients. However, 30% of the instances are likely to be false negatives. 

Another significant difficulty is that the test cannot distinguish between living and dead viruses. As a result, what is viewed as reinfection might be dead virus particles present in recovered individuals, resulting in False Positives.

How long do the antibodies stay in your system after a Coronavirus infection?

Our immune system, like our own memory, recalls some infections quite well but forgets about others. For example, the MMR vaccination, which is used to prevent measles, offers life-long protection against the disease. Some flu vaccinations, however, require an annual dosage since the antibodies only persist for a limited time in the immune system.

Coronavirus has not been around long enough to determine how long antibodies against it will stay, thus it is still unknown if the vaccinations will give life-long immunity.

Other human Coronaviruses provide information on how long the targeted antibodies survive in the human body. Four kinds of Coronaviruses that cause the common cold create short-lived immunity that lasts less than a year. COVID-19 re-infection, on the other hand, is typically milder once infected, as is to be expected with COVID-19.

Have individuals been re-infected with COVID-19 twice?

Until recently, several cases of COVID-19 re-infection have been documented. However, they were seen as mistakes, with patients being informed incorrectly that they were rid of the virus after infection. In other words, disease relapse was misdiagnosed as re-infection.

Re-infection, while not impossible, is extremely unlikely, according to experts. Furthermore, a single example cannot be deemed as definitive research. Experiments on Rhesus monkeys reveal that when they were re-infected with the Coronavirus that causes COVID-19 three weeks later, they did not exhibit any symptoms.

How long should one wait to get vaccinated, if they are infected with covid infection?

Simply, one should follow a rule of “one, two, and three.”

 ● Covaxin , Sputnik and other vaccine: 1 month 

● Covishield: 2-3 months 

● Infected with covid before, after, or between doses: 3 months.

The Bottom line

Immunity protects you from sickness and minimizes the virus's impact on your body. Understanding who is in danger of contracting and transmitting the virus is critical for easing lockdown rules. The length of immunity gained by infection or vaccination determines how well the virus can be controlled. The length of time the antibodies and protection to the virus endure will also determine whether the vaccination is effective for life or requires yearly injections.

Reference:

1. https://www.narayanahealth.org/blog/can-you-get-reinfected-by-covid19/