Anyone else got covid twice within 6-8 weeks?

[Katbut]

DD is 14 and not yet vaccinated as she had covid just before the school vaccination day so was told she has to wait 12 weeks before getting a vaccine.

So when she got covid for the first time, 6/7 weeks ago, she got a really bad headache, sneezing and runny nose. Positive PCR. I tested her on LFT just out of curiosity and it was strongly positive at first then went negative by the end of her 10 day isolation.

A few days ago she lost her voice and had a barking cough. LFT was instantly strong positive and PCR just came back positive.

I didn't think you could get it again so soon? How do I know if the tests are remnants from last time or a new infection? She was perfectly well between these bouts of illness and the LFTs went negative so I'm inclined to trust the tests. But seems that this is really rare? Just wondering if anyone else has experienced similar.

That is rare to get a second infection so quickly, but the positive LFT this time means it's definitely a new infection and not just a remnant of the first infection. On average people test positive via PCR for 17 days but 5-7 on LFT, and that positive period seems to be when you're likely to be infectious (in research it ties in with the period where they can cultivate live virus from samples, not just dead fragments that your body is clearing out).

Maybe this time it's Omicron? It being so different may mean that it bypasses the protection she had from previous Covid infection.
That's scary stuff though, given I thought you had quite a nit of immunity after having covid...
I do hope your DD is OK, she must feel pretty rotten only having just got over the first time.

Thanks, yes it is a bit scary as I thought we would have a three-month grace period! I'm also worried that she might be one of those people that don't make antibodies and not sure if that means she's more at risk.

I only got the result this evening so not heard from T&T yet. I'm hoping they would be able to tell me if it's Omicron?

I tested positive in early November. It took me by surprise as all the lateral flows I had done were negative and they remained negative throughout. I developed cold like symptoms five weeks later and lost my sense of taste and smell. I did a lateral flow and it was a very strong positive so took a PCR and that too was positive. The doctor said I was just unlucky and had been reinfected. I never found out the variant!

I thought the guidance was that you shouldn't retest on a PCR for 90 days after a positive, on the basis any positive more likely dead virus cells then new reinfection? There is another thread where people are discussing how they got positive lfts and pcrs (had to take for work) for months.

On the reinfection with Omnicron, Tim Spector was on Radio 4 saying on the Zoe app they are currently seeing reinfections with those who tested positive over 12 months ago, but not really in the last 6 months.

The guidance states that you shouldn’t retest unless you develop new symptoms in which case you should do a PCR. The doctor I spoke to told me that if you test negative on a lateral flow after an infection and then positive again in the following weeks it should be treated as a new infection as lateral flows are most effective at picking up live, infectious virus. PCRs can remain positive for months.