Basseterre, St. Kitts, October 22, 2021 (SKNIS): Unvaccinated individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 are strongly advised to get a jab of a vaccine as studies suggest that natural immunity fades fast, leaving persons vulnerable to reinfection.
Medical Chief of Staff of the Joseph N. France General Hospital, Dr. Cameron Wilkinson, tackled the topic at the October 20 edition of the National Emergency Operations Centre COVID-19 Briefing. He cited real-world studies that indicate that natural immunity is not better.
“More than one-third of COVID-19 infections result in zero protective antibodies and it is important for you to remember that fact,” he stated.
Simply put, if nine unvaccinated persons were to contract COVID-19, three of those persons will not have protective antibodies after they recover. Science shows that 65 percent of persons with lower baseline antibodies after infection lost the COVID-19 antibodies after 60 days.
“Studies have also shown that after infection, unvaccinated persons are 2.34 times likelier to get COVID-19 again, compared to the fully vaccinated. And don’t forget the fully vaccinated do get infected. These are called breakthrough infections and they (the symptoms) tend to be mild,” Dr. Wilkinson added.
The medical chief of staff said the best protection against COVID-19 is to get vaccinated and he informed persons that they can vaccinate immediately after recovery.
“No time is too soon,” said Dr. Wilkinson. “Once you have been recovered, you can go in the next day and get vaccinated. You do not have to wait 60 days.”
The 60-day delay is recommended in countries where vaccines are scarce. This ensures that those who need protection most from the life-saving vaccine can gain access. St. Kitts and Nevis has sufficient supplies of the Oxford-AstraZeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines that anyone who voluntarily steps forward can receive a jab.
