Better to get COVID while still in vaccine protection window?

[LeoniePeony]

I currently have COVID.
DH is fully vaccinated and received his second dose of AZ in June. As he is late 40s and won’t be receiving a booster, I am wondering whether it would be better for him to “get” covid now rather than risk being infected in the middle of winter when his antibodies may have further declined.
The theory is that a covid infection now could act like a booster in itself.

He’s so far managed to avoid it (negative LFTs & PCR) by sleeping in another room and keeping well away from me!

My main worry was that we couldn’t both afford to be unwell at the same time, but I seem to be over the worst now.

He doesn’t have underlying conditions.

So, DH should deliberately try to infect himself, AIBU?

If you try and catch it won’t you have a very high viral load and can that make you more ill? There was talk of that early on on the pandemic, don’t know how true it is. My DD tried to catch chicken pox from her sister and she was much spottier and more ill. Anecdotal I know.

en.adioscorona.org/questions-reponses/2020-09-10-covid-dose-virus-inoculum-sévérité-maladie.html

@TiddleTaddleTat I have notifications turned off, you're lucky I noticed this. It's being widely reported e.g. www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-59165157

I’ve been trying to catch it. Kids had it in thr summer, I didn’t isolate from them at all, didn’t catch it. DH had it last month, didn’t isolate, got coughed and sneezed on, nothing. Best friend had it, we went out, close contact for several hours and she tested positive 36 hours later. Nothing. I have no idea why I can’t catch this thing, usually I get everything going. And now my immunity is running out (6 months since 2nd jab this weekend). I thought it was supposed to be really easy to catch but it’s impossible in my case.

@Lemons1571

I’ve been trying to catch it. Kids had it in thr summer, I didn’t isolate from them at all, didn’t catch it. DH had it last month, didn’t isolate, got coughed and sneezed on, nothing. Best friend had it, we went out, close contact for several hours and she tested positive 36 hours later. Nothing. I have no idea why I can’t catch this thing, usually I get everything going. And now my immunity is running out (6 months since 2nd jab this weekend). I thought it was supposed to be really easy to catch but it’s impossible in my case.

You might have had it asymptomatically and not known?

I did pcr tests about 5 days after contact with both DH and friend. Both negative.

I mean before that

So at any time really.

Plus doesn’t the vaccine stop some people getting it

I’m in similar position, exposed but not had any symptoms

Who knows! I suppose I might find out soon now I have waning immunity from the vaccine.

DH is doing an antibody test for Imperial I’m tempted to sign up too

@Lemons1571

I’ve been trying to catch it. Kids had it in thr summer, I didn’t isolate from them at all, didn’t catch it. DH had it last month, didn’t isolate, got coughed and sneezed on, nothing. Best friend had it, we went out, close contact for several hours and she tested positive 36 hours later. Nothing. I have no idea why I can’t catch this thing, usually I get everything going. And now my immunity is running out (6 months since 2nd jab this weekend). I thought it was supposed to be really easy to catch but it’s impossible in my case.

My friend appeared to be covid proof she was exposed so often (children, husband and mother) she finally got it two weeks ago.

I thought boosters were available to anyone double jabbed as long as there’s been adequate time between jabs

@ALittleBitWorrriedNow not in England. Only 50+ and clinically vulnerable are eligible for boosters at the moment.

I got the original 2 jabs early as they were spares at the end of the day. Hence my 6 months has run out but I can’t get a booster.

If he gets a nasty dose of Covid, his June jab won’t do much. He could still be pretty ill. We just had it and suffered badly. Since we weren’t in hospital, it goes down as “mild”. Mild my arse.

Plus natural immunity will also wane after a while.

Sounds stupid to deliberately get it if he can avoid it. It seems like who gets it worse depend on genetics. Just because you are relatively young and healthy doesn't always guarantee to have it mild. I would rather wait for the booster than getting covid to boost immunity.

TedGlenn I had a similar experience to you. Both double van’s, dh got covid. I experienced two days of headache and lethargy which at the time I interpreted as fighting of off (tested negative).

A month later and I’m stuck in bed with the real deal.

I’m over 50 double jabbed and thought the same - work in a school no mitigation’s so chances of catching covid were high. I also get I’d rather get it over with sooner rather than later with the vaccine in full force.

I did catch it a few weeks ago and was completely asymptotic. No issues.

No one else caught it, but we slept apart and we’re careful.

I know a WFH-er younger than me who's had their booster. No underlying conditions. This is the same old story.

I'm 43 and got my second dose at the start of June. I'm considered CV. I've just been able to book my booster for 29th November, 24 days from now. So, it's worth trying the NHS website as it does seem possible to book before you become eligible.

Please don't risk it. my husband was due his booster, caught Covid instead the same week and is now in hospital. He's older than you but you don't know how your body will react.

@rrhuth

It doesn't make sense to get an illness now to protect you from getting an illness later - the fact we are discussing this is evidence our government has completely failed. The booster campaign has been a mess - the government squandered the advantages of the early vaccine success.

We have vaccines FFS. We shouldn't be needing to catch bloody covid.

The vaccines are very good at reducing the risk of serious illness/hospitalisation and seems to last well but their protection against infection wanes quite quickly. So yes, most vaccinated people are probably going to catch it anyway, but it will probably be mild.

Medications are just becoming available that greatly reduce the risk of death and hospitalisation. From the middle of the month, this will be selectively available to more vulnerable people. However, as time passes, the availability of effective treatments is very likely to increase. I would certainly delay getting infected if I had any choice in the matter.

I've been thinking about this too- part of me just wants to get it out of the way while I still have some vaccine protection against serious illness. I won't be eligible for a booster, or any of the new treatments as I'm under 50/not CV, so maybe it's best to get it this winter as opposed to next spring/summer? However, as pp have said, Covid is so unpredictable in how it affects people, that's it's probably best to avoid infection if possible.

I can't avoid it, I work in a secondary school and I'm not eligible for a booster. Five months since my second dose.

@herecomesthsun

Medications are just becoming available that greatly reduce the risk of death and hospitalisation. From the middle of the month, this will be selectively available to more vulnerable people. However, as time passes, the availability of effective treatments is very likely to increase. I would certainly delay getting infected if I had any choice in the matter.

Yes this!

Very difficult but it you are working in a school though.