One shot? Two shots? Or no shot for barrier island residents who had COVID-19 and have since recovered?
A panel of doctors who advise the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention debated earlier this month whether or not to change the guidance the agency issues for the use of the three COVID-19 vaccines.
Several members of the panel feel strongly that having COVID-19 acts as the patient’s “first dose” of vaccine, so all they need is a booster shot. But no studies have produced enough data to convince the majority of the panel.
Two Cleveland Clinic specialists advise patients who have recovered from the virus to get protected just like people who have not yet been infected. That would mean getting two shots of Pfizer or Moderna or one shot of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine.
“We still recommend that you get the vaccine even if you’ve had COVID-19. However, you may consider waiting 90 days after getting infected as it’s not common to get COVID-19 again within three months of first being infected,” said Dr. Richard Rothman, chair of hospital medicine for Cleveland Clinic Florida region.
Rothman heads up Cleveland Clinic’s COVID Operations and Recover Task Force, and his advice echoes the CDC’s current guidance.
It’s still unclear how long people who have recovered from COVID-19 sustain a level of antibodies that will prevent another case of the virus, and CDC doctors say that immunity likely varies from person to person. The severity of the symptoms, and even the medications received during treatment or hospitalization, also could affect how long someone has some defense against re-infection.
“If you were treated with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma when you had COVID-19, it’s recommended that you wait 90 days before getting vaccinated. This recommendation also applies if you got sick and received these treatments while waiting for your second dose of vaccine,” said Cleveland Clinic pulmonary and critical care specialist Dr. Neal Chaisson in a Jan. 28 bulletin written for patients.
What about side effects from vaccine if you have already had COVID-19?
“There’s currently no evidence that having had COVID-19 would make you more or less likely to experience side effects from the vaccine,” Chaisson said.
Public health experts strongly urge people to continue social distancing, mask wearing and handwashing even after completing their full vaccine regimen because it typically takes weeks to attain immunity.
Two exceptions – the CDC advised that fully vaccinated people can safely socialize indoors with other fully vaccinated people, or with one other household such as close family members in low-risk age and health categories, without wearing a mask.
