With or without symptoms, if you have been cured of Covid, you have probably wondered how long it takes before you get the vaccine. You think your body now has antibodies against the virus, so you'm fine, right?
"Even though you have had Covid-19, it is still very important to get the vaccine," says Dr. Kristen Englund for Clevand Clinic. "We know a number of people could be infected with Covid-19 a second time."
Are antibodies not enough to protect me? "We do not know how long the immunity will last after you have had a natural infection," says Dr. Englund.
She said recent research into how long immunity lasts after Covid-19 is unclear and scientists believe it could take up to eight months, however she points out that studies have involved very few patients, so there is still no data on sure.
Dr. Englund notes that for those who have had Covid-19 and have symptoms known as "prolonged Covid", getting the vaccine seems to help them fully recover.
How long do you have to wait to be vaccinated if you have had Covid-19? "The time frame we recommend to be vaccinated after a Covid-19 infection is once you are out of quarantine," she added.
However, if you have received monoclonal antibodies, you must wait 90 days. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-produced proteins that mimic the body's immune response. We therefore have to wait 90 days for the monoclonal antibody to leave your system so that the body can more easily develop a better immune response.
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