Is There No 'Super Immunity' to COVID-19?..."You Can Get Infected Again Even After Recovery and Vaccination" [Reading Science]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] A study has found that even people who have recovered from COVID-19 and received vaccines, thus possessing 'super immunity,' experience a decrease in antibodies over time, leading to an increase in breakthrough infections.

According to the international journal Nature on the 16th, a survey conducted in Israel from early August to the end of September involving approximately 5.7 million people revealed these results. The research team conducted a roughly two-month follow-up study on three groups: patients who were infected and recovered but unvaccinated, patients who recovered and then received vaccination, and people who received 2-3 vaccine doses but had never been infected.

The results showed that in all three groups, the number of reinfections or breakthrough infections increased over time after vaccination or recovery, causing infection rates to soar. Notably, even the group with so-called 'super immunity'?those vaccinated after infection?showed an increase in infections. However, it was confirmed that those with 'super immunity' had an infection rate only one-seventh that of people who received two vaccine doses at 6-8 month intervals, demonstrating stronger immunity compared to 'simple vaccine recipients.'

Accordingly, the belief that patients who recovered from infection and then got vaccinated would have 'super immunity' that prevents infection has been challenged. Nature pointed out, "Super immunity may ultimately not be 'super,'" adding, "Although this study was conducted before the emergence of the Omicron variant, it raises doubts about whether vaccination of recovered patients is an effective means to respond to the recent surge in COVID-19 cases."

However, scientists continue to emphasize that vaccination reduces severe progression and mortality, and that vaccination of recovered patients is essential. David Dowdy, a professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, said, "Breakthrough infections can occur in vaccinated individuals, but symptoms are much milder compared to those unvaccinated."

Amit Huppert, a professor at the Gertner Institute in Israel who participated in the study, stated, "Two weeks ago, I might have said that we should focus on vaccinating others rather than those who recovered less than a year ago. However, based on these results, vaccination or additional booster shots for recovered individuals are key to preventing severe infections caused by reinfections or breakthrough infections from the Omicron variant. The core message is that vaccination is necessary."