"Early positive, early positive"? Experts: Omicron is more likely to cause reinfection

Recently, there have been rumors online that being infected with the new coronavirus is equivalent to getting a vaccine, and some people even said "the sooner the better."

So, is this statement valid?

Li Dongzeng, chief physician of the Comprehensive Infection Department of Beijing You'an Hospital and medical expert of Xiaotangshan Fangcang Hospital, said that although people will gain immunity to the strain for a certain period of time after being infected with the new coronavirus, it does not mean that they will not be infected again.

Li Dongzeng introduced that there are indeed some infectious diseases that you will not easily get again after you have had them once, such as measles, rubella, mumps, hepatitis A, etc. The reason is related to the characteristics of these pathogenic microorganisms. After infection, the body will use the immune mechanism formed before to protect itself.

However, the new coronavirus is another type of virus. One infection does not provide lifelong immunity. Influenza has similar characteristics. Due to the large number of virus types and rapid mutation, it is easy to escape from the human immune system. This is why the flu vaccine must be administered every year, because the probability of repeated infection is very high.

Li Dongzeng specifically reminded that although they are all new coronaviruses, different strains have different abilities to cause multiple infections. Compared with Delta and previous variants, Omicron is more likely to cause reinfection. In addition, repeated infections still have a certain risk of severe illness, which can be transmitted to high-risk groups such as the elderly at home and those with underlying diseases.

"Try to delay infection and reduce the infection rate for yourself and those around you." Li Dongzeng said that even if you have been infected, you still have to take good protection, and it is also necessary to get vaccinated after infection.