Covid vaccine / natural antibodies

[KriKay]

So I had covid in November. Felt awful, but recovered well.

I’m 46, so next in line for vaccine. I’m nervous! I have had various auto immune disease, including guillan barre as a child after vaccine, and Graves’ disease. I also tend to be one of these people who develop very rare side effects to medications.

I did an antibody test last week which showed I still have antibodies.....I agree with vaccine, but not in any rush to get it.....is this wrong?

In your situation with cases this low I'd be inclined to wait a bit to see if they introduce an updated vaccine later in the year. You could always get the vaccine later if cases start to rise again.

I wouid wait too

I also had covid last November. Won't be getting any vaccine for at least a few months as I want to wait and see how things play out. As a healthy person in their mid thirties I see no rush! I'd definitely wait in your situation

I'd get it. If you wait, will you go down on the list as a vaccine-refuser?

@ArchbishopOfBanterbury

I'd get it. If you wait, will you go down on the list as a vaccine-refuser?

No, you just go back on the list of people who need to be offered a vaccine.

When they rang I just said I wanted to wait and they said that was fine and to get in touch whenever. I might have been put on some list of dissidents, who knows

I would do exactly the same as you and in fact took an antibody test before deciding to have the vaccine. The antibody test came back negative so I had the vaccine jab but if it had come back positive then I would definitely have delayed.

If it reassures you the suggested "UK Covid passport" and many other countries entry rules are that the person must either:
Show evidence of full Covid vaccination (two jabs) or
Show positive evidence of antibodies or
Take a negative Covid test on the way in and on the way out.

This would imply that having positive antibodies has a similar equivalence to having the vaccination.

Thanks for replies! That’s certainly how my thinking is going....wait a bit! I will get vaccine, and if when I do another antibody test in next month/2 months it’s turns negative, I’d be more inclined to get it sooner. If I hadn’t had covid and didn’t have antibodies I’d get it whenever offered
It just seems riskier to get it just now than not. I know I could get covid again, not presuming I’m immune, guess whatever I do nothings risk free?!

The vaccine is far less risky than getting Covid again.

I am 48 and am eligible to book the vaccine now. I had Covid in March, and have decided to wait until June and then do an antibody test. If it's negative I will think about the options then. I have had serious (anaphylactic) reactions to medication in the past, leading to long-term inflammatory / auto-immune disease and PTSD as a result.

Basically I think you're doing the right thing, given that cases are low, you have a medical history which contra-indicates vaccination, and you have antibodies anyway at the moment.

I've never though vaccinating people who've recently had the virus is a good idea. Your immune system is already primed, you have antibodies so no I wouldn't have it in your circumstances at the moment.

I've been offered the vaccine but only had covid in January so I've declined the offer. Was told to just contact them when/if I'm ready.

I find it strange that the advice can be so different. Here in France they suggest you don’t get the vaccine until at least 6 months after a positive covid test and that, if you’ve previously had covid, you only need one vaccine dose.

Even more bizarre is that they are offering all pregnant women in their 2nd and 3rd trimesters the vaccine, which I’ve seen isn’t recommended for pregnant woman at all in the uk.

if you’ve previously had covid, you only need one vaccine dose

I've heard similar advice is being given in some developing countries (e.g in South America) I thought this was because vaccines are scarce there, but I think this is not the case in France as I understand uptake is not great.