Covid more than once??

[Squidgyflump]

Not an 'aibu' but posting for traffic.

Just wondering if anyone has had coronavirus twice??

Had covid back in March. Wasn't tested as it was before tests were available but know that I definitely had the virus.

I wear my face mask when in shops and on public transport and use hand sanitizers or wash hands when possible, but is it less likely (though not impossible) to catch it again if you have already had it??

Also, forgot to add that Monday to Friday I don't go out that much as working from home but husband and young kids.

Know one really knows

Do you not think Google would give you answers from better sources than random forum posters on MN?

No-one really knows at this stage. The current science suggests that antibodies only last a matter of weeks/months, certainly not long term. Probably six months at best. However, it may be that t-cells offer more resistance and they're harder to measure.

Eventually more research will be done and we'll know more, but at this stage there is no certainty. This is the problem with a novel virus!

As far as I know scientists believe you’d have the antibodies after the virus which would prevent you catching it again - but it’s not clear how long they last. If you got the virus in March and the antibodies only lasted a few months then yes you could feasibly catch it again now. But there are many unknowns.

You don't know that you definitely had the virus in March if you didn't have a test so I would still take precautions.

I know that technically, yes, I can check on Google, and yes, I know that nobody really knows for sure which is why I had asked if anyone on here had caught it twice.

Insufficient data to know. There is data that suggests that antibody levels correlate with disease severity, and more evidence as PP mentioned that memory T cells offer longer term protection.

Immune T Cells May Offer Lasting Protection Against COVID-19

For what it's worth, I work with a lot of people who've had it and non has been symptomatic since, despite frequent exposure.

We don't know yet, as prior posters. BUT all previously frightening evidence for serial infections have so far turned out as false positives, so there's that.

Thanks for the replies.

I think it would be sensible to keep the same safety measures in place as everyone else. They havent been able to establish whether it can be caught multiple times yet as its still so new

There is some evidence to suggest that having the virus offers some immunity. How long this immunity will last is not yet known.

Given that you were never tested you don’t actually know for sure that you have had Covid so I would think the most sensible thing would be to assume you haven’t had Covid and act accordingly.

No one knows, however we don’t seem to be inundated with cases where it’s a second time infection, which considering the infected are isolating in households with other people, you would expect to see it continuously cycle through the household if there was no immunity. So seems likely that there is a degree of immunity.

Thanks. I wasn't tested but had all the covid symptoms right down to loss of senses. I've never been ill like that in my life (and have had bed ridden flu a couple of times to be able to compare). It took a good month before I could say I felt OK again.

Regardless of if I had caught it before or not, I would always be careful (not just for me but those around me) because as mentioned, there is still so much uncertainty around the virus and My neighbour passed away from covid. It was frightening to see how fast he passed away (turns out he had underlying issues he was unaware of but he was still quite young)

Just wondered if anyone here has had it twice.

WHO suggested getting it more than once is possible

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, head of the WHO’s emerging diseases and zoonosis unit, said patients “do mount some level of an immune response."

Data from other corona outbreaks in humans suggests that immunity can last for up to several months but it wanes

Many scientists hold the opinion that if a vaccine is created, it won't be like the measles one.

Other studies suggest immunity of up to 3 months.

And realistically without knowing how long immunity lasts a workable vaccine program will be hard to implement.

I had Covid in March, tested. This weekend I thought I had it again, my temperature is over 39 even with paracetamol, bad headache and keep falling asleep, throat is sore, coughing and pains in my stomach, but not the breathlessness and very heavy feeling I had before. I had a test yesterday morning, got results this afternoon, negative. There are other things around. No one knows whether antibodies stop you getting it again and even if they do how long they are effective for. So I'm taking all the same precautions I would if I hadn't had it.

Bottom line is that we do not know.

So even if you had been immune, you might not be now

So act as if you're not

We have also lived with HCoV-229E and HCoV-OC43 since the 60's which is the common cold.

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/types.html

I tested positive in June. I'm hoping I'm immune but still doing all the hand washing, social distancing etc.

OC43 produces quite similar (but less grave) symptoms to SARS-COV2

And I've seen at least one commentator suggest that the 'early' cases of Covid might really have been caused by OC43 (which we don't test for).

That the choir all tested negative for both antibodies and T cell response to SARS-COV2 does tend to suggest that there was something very similar doing the rounds from about November to March.

But it's just one theory.

I'm in a similar position, OP, and am still unwell since mid March. I would still take the same precautions as if you didn't think you'd had it. In fact, I think the safest approach is if everyone behaves as if they are actively infectious to others.

First of all get an antibody test. If you weren't tested in March you dont "know" that you had it. Loads of people got really sick with lots of things in March that weren't covid.

This article gives a good summary:
<a class="break-all" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/22/health/covid-antibodies-herd-immunity.html#click=t.co/OCbnhXfkqw" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.nytimes.com/2020/07/22/health/covid-antibodies-herd-immunity.html#click=t.co/OCbnhXfkqw

TLDR version, nobody knows for certain, but thought to be very unlikely.

I think catching it once means you did something wrong catching it again especially now we know more would be crazy

There is however, growing concern over long term complications for some cases:

"This month, researchers across the United Kingdom including Evans launched a study that will follow 10,000 survivors for 1 year to start, and up to 25 years. Ultimately, researchers hope not just to understand the disease’s long shadow, but also to predict who’s at highest risk of lingering symptoms and learn whether treatments in the acute phase of illness can head them off."
www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/07/brain-fog-heart-damage-covid-19-s-lingering-problems-alarm-scientists