Can you catch Covid again soon/quickly?

[DarceyDashwood]

I know you can catch Covid again - lots of reports of people who had it last year getting it again this year etc. But what I can’t seem to find out is what are the chances of catching it again quickly ie within a few months?

I tested positive a few weeks ago (double jabbed, mild case) so just wondering does that mean it’s unlikely I’d catch it again at least over the summer? I’m not going out clubbing or anything like that, and will continue to wear a mask, take precautions etc - but just would be nice to think that I probably would t catch it again any time soon!

Good question, watching with interest.

Not an expert, but I should imagine if you've had delta you are unlikely to catch delta again, but if there's another variant...

Reinfection rates, even since last year, are actually very low. You are presumed immune if you have recovered from infection within 6 months in most European countries (recently updated to 9months in Ireland)

Isn’t it 90 days? So if you have symptoms within 90 days of a positive test you don’t need to get tested again?
I’ll find the link.

“You should not use this service if you’ve received a positive PCR test result in the last 90 days, unless you develop any new symptoms”

www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

So my understanding is you do not need to get a another PCR test if you tested positive within 90 days. Unless you develop any new symptoms is a bit confusing.

I think it's like with a miscarriage - you still get a positive pregnancy test afterwards. It's nothing to do with immunity.

Thanks all - I understand about the testing and potential for still testing positive for 90days - but does that mean you actually can’t catch it again for 90 days?

@AnotherDayAnotherCake

“You should not use this service if you’ve received a positive PCR test result in the last 90 days, unless you develop any new symptoms”

www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test

So my understanding is you do not need to get a another PCR test if you tested positive within 90 days. Unless you develop any new symptoms is a bit confusing.

That's because people have continued to test positive for weeks after a positive case so an arbitrary decision was made to not test within 90 days because a positive test could be residue from an old infection or a new infection. When you throw in false positives and false negatives there are too many variables to say for certain. The UK in particular have never tested at the end of isolation so have no idea what percentage of people go on to test positive after 10 days.

@PandemicAtTheDisco

I think it's like with a miscarriage - you still get a positive pregnancy test afterwards. It's nothing to do with immunity.

This doesn't sound right to me.

@DarceyDashwood

Thanks all - I understand about the testing and potential for still testing positive for 90days - but does that mean you actually can’t catch it again for 90 days?

I guess it means it so unlikely to catch it twice within that period they can’t justify the funds on testing those people again - or - as @TheTeenageYears said, it’s more likely to be the original infection causing the positive result.

Hi,
I’m a covid nurse and we don’t retest positive patients if they have had a positive swab in the last 90 days. The reason for this is that you can continue to shed dead covid cells up to 90 days after original infection date. Meaning it would be a false positive.

From what I’ve seen re infection rates remain very low. Studies done have also shown people carry antibodies for 6ish months. So I’d guess it’s very rare to get it again. However with new variants we don’t know how this affects chances of getting covid a second time. Hope this helps.

www.gov.uk/government/news/new-national-surveillance-of-possible-covid-19-reinfection-published-by-phe

@Bluecurtains19 @sirfredfredgeorge very useful info thank you!! This has definitely helped put my mind at rest a bit!

One if the first cases of reinfection found last year tested positive again 42 days after his first positive test. This was confirmed with genetic analysis of the virus (the sequences were different enough that it wasn't just remnants of the first infection) and they even tested the samples to make sure they both came from him. He also had a worse case the second time and ended up in the hospital.

Saying that, I'm fairly certain I have covid now and if my PCR had come back positive I'd have been a lot more relaxed over the coming months.

I am wondering where I stand. We had covid in our house couple of weeks ago. Dh and dc had symptoms and tested positive. I took the pcr as well but tested negative. Subsequent lfts were negative too. I am wondering that did I really not catch it or did my double jabbed status fight it off straight away.

I have antibodies from my covid infection last month and the result message said the risk of me catching it again was reduced

So people who test positive while on holiday may have to wait up to 90 days to get home if they keep testing positive?

Lots of paramedics getting it for the second time round according to a family member. Second time was worse for one and ended up in hospital but not ventilated, discharged with oxygen.

I think it’s rare but not completely impossible.

Most people will have immunity (at least against that particular variant) for quite a while.

@Kittenss

So people who test positive while on holiday may have to wait up to 90 days to get home if they keep testing positive?

Yep and still risk testing positive on one of the tests in the UK despite a negative test to travel. It's happened in our family.