The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a study that found unvaccinated people who had a prior Covid-19 infection were 5.5 times more likely to test positive for the virus than vaccinated individuals who never had Covid.
“All eligible persons should be vaccinated against Covid-19 as soon as possible, including unvaccinated persons previously infected with SARS-CoV-2,” researchers recommended in the center’s weekly report published Friday.
The study examined hospital patient data from 7,000 patients in 187 hospitals. Analysis revealed that among adults hospitalized with Covid symptoms, unvaccinated people who had a prior Covid infection within the last 3-6 months tested positive 5.5 times more often than patients who received an mRNA vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech) within the same time frame.
“We now have additional evidence that reaffirms the importance of Covid-19 vaccines, even if you have had prior infection,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement. “This study adds more to the body of knowledge demonstrating the protection of vaccines against severe disease from Covid-19.”
Earlier studies have contributed to busting the myth that natural immunity acquired through infection conveys the same or better protection than vaccines. One CDC study found that less than two-thirds of people who had Covid in the past developed any antibodies against the virus (compared to 100 percent of individuals who developed antibodies after vaccination). Another study found that natural immunity can wane, especially among people who mounted a lower initial immune response to the virus.
The CDC study’s results come as the number Covid cases continues to decline across the U.S., dropping by almost 25 percent in the last two weeks, according to NBC News. It also shortly follows the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the vaccine for children ages 5-11. Currently, the CDC reports that nearly 58 percent of people in America, 192 million individuals, have been fully vaccinated.
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