Can you get covid twice ?

[unmumsymummy21]

I know this has been asked before but I'm curious if you can get it twice and also if it's worse the second time ? If you got through your first bout of covid quite well and had it quite mildly, would that mean second time is also mild or could it be worse ? This is of course assuming you catch the same strain.

Thank you!

Ffs

There were many times with long COVID ...

@Mumisnotmyonlyname

I think a good many of the people who say they have had it twice just have yet to clear the original infection.

There's no evidence base for this in significant numbers AFAIK.

There is now an evidence base for getting infected twice. Especially in SA where the new variant is infecting people who had test-confirmed covid with an earlier strain.

I've yet to see a good evidence base that there is much reinfection. You read about it on Mumsnet but on the bbc and in the Guardian they say it's rare, so far:

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/nov/05/visors-nightingales-catching-coronaviurs-twice-your-covid-questions-answered

MNers will tell you that EVERYONE gets it twice and they know lots of people who tested positive last year (even though only hospitalisations were being tested) and have tested positive again later.

The facts of the matter are that you shouldn't test more than once within 90 days, it's been proven that you have immunity for at least 6 months, and the French have gone so far to say that if you have had covid you probably only need one dose of the vaccine as a booster rather than the regulation two.

You could get it again but the chances are extremely slim.

Haha yeah you do read it on Mumsnet a lot !

"MNers will tell you that EVERYONE gets it twice"

Never seen anyone claim this. Hysterical exaggeration

"it's been proven that you have immunity for at least 6 months"

Depends what you mean by immunity. 90% less chance to catch it at 5 months according to the siren study.

It's also been proven that natural infection provided and ( possibly the az jab ) gives very little protection against the sa variant though which is why there is talk of annual boosters and surge testing etc

@Cornettoninja

Interestingly I’ve heard (so treat this as very anecdotal) that those who have had covid experience worse side effects from the vaccine than those who haven’t. Following that line I wouldn’t be surprised if a second infection had the capability to be worse if it caused your immune system to respond aggressively especially with the number of variants we’re aware of.

It’s all relative though, if you caught covid the first time and barely noticed it, ‘worse’ could be anything from laid up in bed for a few days to needing hospital oxygen support.

I don’t know about this, I suffered quite badly with side effects and have only ever had (loads) of negative tests.

@poppycat10

MNers will tell you that EVERYONE gets it twice and they know lots of people who tested positive last year (even though only hospitalisations were being tested) and have tested positive again later.

The facts of the matter are that you shouldn't test more than once within 90 days, it's been proven that you have immunity for at least 6 months, and the French have gone so far to say that if you have had covid you probably only need one dose of the vaccine as a booster rather than the regulation two.

You could get it again but the chances are extremely slim.

Only hospitalisations were being tested in 2020? Where were you in 2020, because in the UK there was lots of community testing in 2020, and it wasn't restricted to hospitalisations.

Only PCR tests should not be repeated within 90 days, because they are not reliable in respect of testing for new infection during that period anyway, as they can still detect the old infection. LFD tests indicate infectiousness and so can be - and are - able to be repeated after an initial infection and recovery/ end of isolation.

There is no total immunity - not even the vaccine can promise that. There is a high level of good levels of immunity indicated by studies which have so far only stretched over a six months period. That does not mean that you can't catch it again. It means that you have a reduced risk of catching it again.

Just because the French have decided to do something doesn't make them right about it!

Yes, had it twice. Although first time I could not get a test due to no testing then.

1st time March, got better was ill again 3 weeks later.

2nd time was January. Confirmed with a test. Illness and it's course was the same. Although January's did not come back. Entirely possibles March's illness was not Covid. However too much of a coincidence.

I won't be in any counted statistics as no hospitalisation. Unless it was picked up by the Covid app.

However DP and DC did not get it eany of the times I was ill. I wonder if I am just susceptible.

Yes you can get it twice but we need more data about severity etc.

If anyone is interested, my son has just tested positive for the second time.

Less than 3 months after the first time.

Waiting to see if it spreads to us all again...🤦‍♀️

@cakeallday

If anyone is interested, my son has just tested positive for the second time.

Less than 3 months after the first time.

Waiting to see if it spreads to us all again...🤦‍♀️

Less than three months

Hope you are all ok

Good luck Cake. Hopefully you get through ok.

Thanks @quiteathome @PracticingPerson. It's tedious but we've all come through it ok once, so I'm sure we can again!