JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A First Coast News viewer, posed an important question to our Vaccine Team this week. "Why in the world would you need the vaccine if you already have the COVID antibodies," Carol asked.
Infectious Disease Specialist, Dr. Mohammed Reza says, "Great question, Carol." Then he brings up a study published by the CDC.
He says the study looked at frontline medical workers who got COVID. Then there were monitored for six months.
Dr. Reza says, "Their antibodies, the cells help to prevent you from catching the virus. they were no longer detectable after just two months. This was seen more so with people who had mild to asymptomatic infection initially."
So don't fool yourself into thinking that just because you've gotten over COVID, you don't need to worry about it.
Dr. Reza says, "If you have the infection once, it doesn't guarantee you protection for the rest of your life. We don't know how long that protection lasts once you've recovered from virus."
He says second cases are rare, but a few have happened and we don't understand this virus thoroughly at this point.
That vaccine is important, he said, even if you've had COVID and you think it's behind you.