Got re-infected with Covid-19? This is what it says about your immunity

Raise your hand if you have been hit by Covid-19 quite a few times? Looks like many of you have. Well, you are not alone in this, because as per experts, there are people who even after getting a jab have been re-infected with the highly-contagious Omicron variant that has been doing the rounds. It might not be a biggie, but it certainly says a LOT about your body and its immunity. And today we are going to figure out why coronavirus is knocking some of you down again and again.

Covid-19 and the impact of vaccination on your body

Dr Deepak Verma, consultant – internal medicine at Manipal Hospital, Ghaziabad tells HealthShots that coronavirus and vaccination have altered people’s natural immunity, especially those who belong to the vulnerable groups, like the elderly and children. People who have got both doses of the vaccine and even the booster shots are also getting re-infected. Despite the rising number of cases, the Omicron variant has shown mild symptoms, but the fear of re-infection is still a nightmare in Covid-19 survivors or the ones who have recently recovered.

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“The good news is that experts and scientific researchers around the world suggest that the chances of re-infection have been very low in the previous variants. As far as Omicron is concerned, there isn’t sufficient data available in case of Indians, to share the exact numbers,” says Dr Verma.

Here’s what re-infection really means

Re-infection means your body is becoming weaker day by day, and you aren’t taking good care of it. Yes, this also means that you neglected it, even when you had the infection in the first place. Due to this, your body isn’t able to recover fully, and you are catching this virus multiple times.

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“People who get re-infected develop antibodies against the virus, which can last for up to 5 months or more, but the Omicron variant can invade your immunity easily, as ompared to previous strains of Covid-19,” suggests Dr Verma.

The presence of antibodies does not guarantee total protection, as the levels may differ in each individual. However, it does reduce the impact of the virus on the body.

A guide for people who are recovering or infected by Covid-19. This will help in avoiding re-infection for sure:

• Get yourself and those eligible in the family vaccinated as soon as possible.
• Children above the age of 15 should get vaccinated. Getting maximum members vaccinated can seal the immunity in small kids as well.
• Follow Covid-appropriate behavior consistently. If you are in home isolation with mild symptoms, wear a mask and maintain at least 6 feet distance.
• Use a sanitizer and wash your hands frequently.
• Follow your doctor’s advice and get booster shots when available, guided by state authorities.

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Don’t forget to boost your immunity to steer clear from re-infection

With the available vaccine options and the data available over the past two years, it is evident that the vaccines are effective against the Covid-19 and its variants.

Follow these tips to improve your immunity at home:

• Practice yoga and meditation to strengthen the brain and repair the damaged cells in the body.
• Increase the intake of super herbs like turmeric, black pepper, ginger, cloves, and garlic daily.
• Replace your caffeine with herbal teas to relax your brain, body, and mind.
• “Use sugar instead of jaggery, especially in winters to boost immunity. (Diabetic patients and people with special care consult your doctor first),” recommends Dr Verma.
• Practice breathing to build lung capacity,and inhale steam to soothe pain in the lungs if you have recovered from Covid-19 recently.

While we are still unsure of how long this pandemic will last, and how many lives it will claim; however, by following these measures, you can reduce the chances of infection and re-infection.