Living with COVID-19: Am I likely to get it again?

You’ve had COVID-19 once. Yes, you can get it again.

The Omicron variant of COVID-19 is so transmissible that if you’ve already had COVID-19 – even if it was one of the other variants such as Alpha or Delta – you can still get COVID-19 again, even if you’re vaccinated.

Vaccines work well in preventing hospitalization or death, but do not mean complete protection from infection or illness. Vaccinations remain your best protection by modifying the infection so that the majority who are vaccinated experience a very mild infection if they contract one. Booster doses to help renew your immunity and reduce your risk of severe illness are now even more important with the rise of Omicron, and its highly transmissible subvariants like BA.2.

If you are infected with COVID-19 after being vaccinated and boosted, you are immune to COVID-19 for a period of time; the duration of that protection is still undetermined. However, protection afforded by both vaccination and infection wanes over time and reinfection is possible.

Even if you had a mild case and have recovered, the risk of reinfection means you need to continue to guard against COVID-19. Wash your hands often. Use self-tests regularly. Wear a mask in crowded, indoor settings. And if you haven’t already, get vaccinated and boosted; though COVID-19 vaccines are not a cure, they can protect from severe illness and death, something post-infection immunity cannot do.

Know that you can get COVID-19 again, and take steps to reduce your risk.