Covid vaccines give extra protection to previously infected, studies show

According to two new studies, Covid-19 vaccines provide significant extra protection for people who have already been exposed.

The effectiveness of the jabs in preventing symptoms and severe outcomes in people who have previously been exposed has been less clear.

The first study, conducted in Brazil, found that the Covid-19 vaccine provides additional protection against severe disease. The studies give important data on vaccine effectiveness in people with a prior infection and show the benefits of getting a vaccine regardless of Covid. The findings could help inform global vaccine strategies.

Understanding the duration and effectiveness of immunity for those who have had a previous Covid-19 diagnosis becomes more important as the Pandemic progresses. More research is needed on the need for vaccine for people with a previous Covid-19 infection. The results suggest that the benefits of the vaccine outweigh the risk for people with prior infections. The data should help guide policy and mitigate vaccine hesitancy among people who had a previous infections. The authors acknowledged limitations with both studies, including a risk of bias due to the observational nature of the research. Both studies did not include an analysis of reinfection from the Omicron variant. The data show that the added protective benefit of vaccination among individuals recovered from Covid-19 is confirmed in a large cohort.