A US Citizen Has Tested Positive for COVID on Two Separate Occassions

As COVID-19 vaccines make their way through the FDA and onto shelves in the US, expected to be available before the end of the year, scientists believe they have found their first true case of a double COVID-19 infection.

This might surprise many Americans as news of several persons reported being sick for a second time with COVID have circulated, however, according to research provided by The Lancet- Infectious Disease, these were cases in which the COVID patient had a relapse of the same infection.

In the article provided by The Lancet, a male Nevada resident has been confirmed to have been infected by COVID-19 on two separate occasions.

The findings concluded, "The patient had two positive tests for SARS-CoV-2, the first on April 18, 2020, and the second on June 5, 2020, separated by two negative tests done during follow-up in May 2020. Genomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 showed genetically significant differences between each variant associated with each instance of infection. The second infection was symptomatically more severe than the first."

According to the University of Maryland Medical System, one of the most frequently asked questions is whether you can be infected twice. They offer the following response, "There is currently no evidence to suggest that people are immune after recovering from coronavirus."

With so many unknowns about the COVID-19 virus and immunity, UMMS research suggests that "Even if novel coronavirus infection imparted immunity, that immunity could be short-lived and last only a few weeks or months. This would leave people vulnerable to reinfection later." 

The 135 COVID-19 vaccines that are now in development worldwide, they are surprisingly estimated to only be at 50% effective according to NPR, and are estimated to only be effective for a few months at a time. “Unfortunately, the questions of duration and immunity do take time to uncover,” said Philip Dormitzer, viral vaccine R&D chief for Pfizer Inc., which is developing one of the vaccines.

Unfortunately, it appears that so many unknowns about COVID-19, time will be the most telling, even when it comes to reinfections.

Remember as we enter into the winter months here in Texas, wearing masks, washing hands frequently and social distancing is known to be effective in slowing the infection rate of COVID-19 down. Stay safe Victoria.