 If you've recovered from a previous COVID-19 infection, your immune system has created antibodies that can recognize and attack current and future COVID-causing viruses. This is also what vaccines are designed to do - stimulate your immune system to create antibodies to protect you from infections.
So it's understandable that you might think you don't need vaccination if you've already recovered from COVID-19 infection. However, having COVID once doesn't mean you can't get it again, and new evidence suggests protection from vaccination is stronger than protection from previous infection. One study showed that unvaccinated people who already had COVID-19 are more than 2 times as likely than fully vaccinated people to get COVID-19 again.
Health experts continue to stress that your best chance at protecting yourself and those around you is vaccination, whether you were previously infected or not.
If I recently had COVID-19, how long should I wait before I get a COVID-19 vaccine?
 If you've recently been diagnosed with COVID-19, you should wait to be vaccinated until you no longer have symptoms and you're no longer in isolation. For most people, isolation lasts 10 days from when your symptoms first appeared. If you had no symptoms, isolation lasts 10 days from your positive COVID test. Click here for official isolation guidance from the Georgia Department of Public Health.
If your isolation period has ended and you have no symptoms of illness, then you are ok to be vaccinated in most cases.
There are a few exceptions.
- If you've had a known exposure to someone with COVID-19 and are in quarantine, you should wait until your quarantine has ended so you don't potentially expose healthcare personnel and other patients during your vaccination visit.
- If you were treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure what treatments you received or if you have more questions about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
- If you or your child has a history of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in adults or children (MIS-A or MIS-C), consider delaying vaccination until you or your child have recovered from being sick and for 90 days after the date of diagnosis of MIS-A or MIS-C.
As always, if you're unsure of how this guidance applies to you or you have questions about vaccination, please speak with your doctor or your local health department for more information. |
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