If you've had covid-19 are you feeling relieved, not to spend the rest of the year dreading catching it?

[SliAnCroix]

I don't mean to annoy people, I'm taking all the restrictions seriously but I've a friend who's had it and I find that I'm envious of her, she and all her family have had it. For her the year ahead is going to get better, gradually yes, but it will.

[ACertainSupermarket]

Interested to know how many have had it or know anyone that has? Maybe I'm lucky but neither I or any of my colleagues seem to.

[BirdieFriendReturns]

In theory, one could be reinfected. We don’t really know yet if you can get it again.

[twinnywinny14]

I haven’t been tested but am pretty sure for a number of reasons that I have had it along with my parents and DH. Tbh I don’t feel any safer as there is no proven period of immunity as yet, obv there is some once you’ve had it but no one how long that immunity will last for. I know form listening to some of the vaccine developers that there is a likelihood that we will need a regular vaccine as it may be impossible to develop life long immunity either through having the illness or through a vaccine

[Bagelsandbrie]

I wasn’t tested as didn’t go to hospital but did contact 111 and my GP and both are confident I’ve had it. (Fever for 2/3 days, cough, breathlessness that went on for 2.5 weeks and still suffering with it now nearly a month on). I have chronic health conditions and was very nearly hospitalised with it.

I am not confident at all re not getting it again. People have gone on to test positive again after already having it. I’m scared I’ll get it again but worse.

[womanvsfood]

I've had it (confirmed by test) and would like to think I might have developed some antibodies/immunity. But as others have said we really don't know yet whether that's the case so not getting too excited just yet.

[cupcakehurricane101]

Two weeks before self isolation was even a thing, I felt really tired for about a week. Literally DRAINED and shaky every so often I actually wondered if I was getting diabetes or something. Then a week after that I got a terrible cough and bones ached it was painful to walk but not much of a temperature. Then a week after that I was ok. Then my daughter got sick with a terrible fever the same week as self isolation, but no cough, just a high fever she was hallucinating, and then she was fine so who knows what it was 🤷 could have had it will we ever know! 👀

[GinnyStrupac]

Any relief should be tempered by caution. The virus could reinvigorate in that person or the person could be infected again - we are waiting on the science for the accurate picture.

[Standrewsschool]

I had unconfirmed covid. However, we don’t know enough about it yet to know whether you can get reinfected, or it lays dormant in your body. So, in answer to your question, I’m still being cautious.

[SliAnCroix]

I follow Dr John Campbell and he reviews the data. He said that 3% of convalescing people who tested positive had not seroconverted, so that is worrying, but still, 97% have antibodies. How long those antibodies protect you, it isnt known yet.

[SliAnCroix]

That was in The Netherlands

[womanvsfood]

I take some encouragement from the fact that my best friend who is a virologist is very envious that I've had it - she's quite sure that S Korea issues are down to testing vagaries and that some immunity should develop. I have no idea though!

[sickofPPEtalk]

I was convinced I had it. Tested negative. My best mate tested positive but isn't convinced that that means she's in the clear. If anything, she's more anxious now as she doesn't want to get it again.

[GinnyStrupac]

Hasn't it been reported that even some of the tests given to keyworkers, and single tests in hospital, are unreliable?

[Figmentofmyimagination]

I think I’ve had it but who can know. Privately it does change my outlook and make me feel a bit more optimistic about the year ahead, although I still take all the same precautions and I know nothing is certain. The main good thing is that I was completely alone the whole time and so didn’t pass it to my family for whom it might have been a lot worse.

[Inkpaperstars]

OP do you know what the Dutch approach to testing was? Did they likely catch more cases than us? For example if 97% of hospital cases (if like here they were only ones widely tested) had seroconverted, would that tell us what the rate would be amongst milder cases who were never tested? I think one study indicated that younger people (again less likely to be v unwell or be tested) did not develop antibodies as much as older people.

Also if I understand it right there questions not just about how many develop antibodies, but If you do develop antibodies does that offer immunity? If it does then how much immunity and for how long?

Still the study you cite is encouraging.