I've had it, so surely I'm immune

[dustyknickers]

Just that really, if I've had it and we are told you cant get it again then surely I'm immune and don't need the vaccine, this would then take a lot of people out of the equation and leave the vaccine for people who really need it. My daughter had covid the first time round, wasn't tested but subsequently had an antibody test which showed she had had it. She works front line, is constantly in contact with covid patients, is tested regularly and has never been positive again, so she must still be immune.

Same as someone else with my friend, had it back in March. (Very sick with it) Antibody test in august which showed low antibodies test every week since september, all negative (line of work were in)
Hospitalised Boxing Day, positive test. She was sicker 2nd time around.

One of my sil had tested positive last week. She had it in March, in March she had high temp, difficulty breathing and loss of taste and smell. No one else got it in her family. Last week her dh started having just breathing difficulties so got tested and he is positive, sil got tested again as she was alerted as close contact, even though she was somehow convinced she couldn't get it again and she tested positive, this time she has fluid leaking from nose and ears and sore throat and bad headaches, she never got her smell or taste back, we got word this morning that the 3 kids have it too. They all have cold like symptoms and blinding headaches. Everyone is different, there has been reports worldwide about 2nd cases. It's best not to just guess and hope that getting it a 2nd time won't happen and that you're immune.

@Twylar

Immunity is considered to last for between 8 and 12 weeks after covid positive. As per respiratory consultant advice.

Is it?

I had a positive antibody test over 5 months after I had Covid, my DH had a positive antibody test 8 months after?

And I though researchers in Australia were now saying that they know that for most people it lasts for at least 8 months?

I will still be getting the vaccine anyway (when my turn finally comes!)

“ Immunity is considered to last for between 8 and 12 weeks after covid positive. As per respiratory consultant advice.”

No, immunity is considered to start from then, as it is when antibodies are detected.

It is thought immunity will last for around 2 years, as it did with SARS and MERS but there obviously aren’t any cohorts to follow yet.

But the Kings c-19 study is showing antibodies lasting 6+ months

I’m still antibody positive (as of 12th December) after infection in late-Feb

I have had it twice.

The first time was in May and was fairly mild. Returned a negative test a few weeks afterwards (I get tested through work).

The second time was in November and it was much more severe. Still feeling exhausted.

OP, do you still think you can't get it twice? How long do you expect your immunity to last? 3 months, 6 months, 5 years? Can you be an asymptomatic carrier?

The virus is too new for us to have a full understanding of how immunity works

(and had a positive antibody test in the summer)

@Dudette87

(and had a positive antibody test in the summer)

Which antibody test did you have? Did it show if you had high/low levels or whether you had the long lasting or short lasting ones (can't remember what they are called now? )

Oxford Study

“ 'This ongoing study involving a large cohort of healthcare workers has shown that being infected with COVID-19 does offer protection against re-infection for most people for at least six months – we found no new symptomatic infections in any of the participants who had tested positive for antibodies, while 89 of those who had tested negative did contract the virus. This is really good news, because we can be confident that, at least in the short term, most people who get COVID-19 won’t get it again.”

There needs to be newer studies set up with ongoing tracking of positive cases against previous infections with it. There seem to be only minute amounts of people reinfected worldwide so far, and that's 9 months in for many.

Can anyone tell me what CEV in this context? Googling hasn't helped.

It is certainly true that some people seem to have protection beyond a 6 month period. Dh certainly didnt get sick this time round, despite me and ds coughing and sneezing all over the house. Ds2 just seems impervious. The colleague I'm pretty sure I caught it from the first time still has antibodies (he was donating plasma earlier in the year). I'm sure it all comes down to differences in our immune systems.

@DianaT1969

OP, do you still think you can't get it twice? How long do you expect your immunity to last? 3 months, 6 months, 5 years? Can you be an asymptomatic carrier?

Well I guess not, so that is very frightening for me! I would always wear a mask and take all precautions anyway, even though I am medically exempt, I would prefer to protect others. I don't have an answer to your other questions. I just thought that if others like me have had it and could be immune then CEV people could get the vaccine sooner and start to live a somewhat normal life, which does not mean them not wearing masks etc, it just means that they can actually go out into the world and stop shielding. It was never my intention to not have the vaccine at all, just maybe move down the list a bit.

A lot of assumptions being made OP. People have caught covid more than once

I read an article about a guy who got a mild case of covid and a few months later he got it again but really badly and ended up in hospital on a ventilator. I wouldn't take the chance personally.

Daughter's friend caught it in October and has now tested positive for the second strain just before xmas.

@Stepintochristmas

I had coronavirus in April and had a negative antibody test last month. The antibodies don’t last long.

You may still have t-cell immunity even though circulating antibodies have waned.

OP I was no where near as bad as you, before ALL the symptoms came out at the very start of March I was not well, I lost all taste and smell and for 3 weeks after I was exhausted, I'll still be taking the vaccine when it is offered, I'm 45 with no underlying conditions, not just for me but to protect others

If your daughter is being exposed to the virus regularly then her antibodies will be kicking in. In the summer there was an anti body study that showed health care worked antibody levels didn't fall as quickly as non health care workers. The conclusion would lie that they are exposed to covid so the antibody levels keep up. Makes sense, doesn't it?

health care workers'

@mackers1

If your daughter is being exposed to the virus regularly then her antibodies will be kicking in. In the summer there was an anti body study that showed health care worked antibody levels didn't fall as quickly as non health care workers. The conclusion would lie that they are exposed to covid so the antibody levels keep up. Makes sense, doesn't it?

That's very interesting and makes absolute sense.

Definitely definitely not true. I have colleagues who have had it twice - July and then just a few months later. We work in the hospital and we're front line so get tested all the time. PLEASE don't assume you can only get it once - it sadly definitely does not work like that.

My relative had covid in March, tested positive for antibodies in October and then tested positive with covid resulting in being hospitalised again in November.