“Covid-19?”
I contracted Covid at the end of February of 2021. My antibodies are very high still. The number was 98.5. Should I not get vaccinated until my antibodies subside? And should I worry about the long-term effects? My symptoms were a low-grade fever for 8 days, dry cough, stiffness and some pain taking deep breaths, and some scratchy slight pain deep into the throat. I recovered just fine after a couple of weeks. The cough lingered for 3-4 weeks or so. Let me know what you think. Thank you for your help.
Male | 42 years old
3 Answers
PulmonologistPulmonologist
This is a difficult question and to my knowledge there is not enough information to make a definitive recommendations that would apply to everyone in your situation. There are also different anti-COVID-19 antibody laboratory tests out there so correlating a result that you describe with protective immunity is not straight forward. From what you describe to me as overcoming COVID-19 I believe you have acquired significant protective immunity against the COVID-19 strain that infected you that should last for longer than 6 months I would speculate. Whether to get a COVID-19 vaccine now or wait longer, also depends on your risk factors getting severe disease. You should discuss this with your doctor.
Thanks for the question. The recommendation remains vaccination 90 or more days after the acute infection, regardless of antibody level. The vaccine will serve two purposes: One, prolonging the immunity, because natural immunity from the infection itself will ultimately wane over time, and two, it will further boost that immunity. It is not yet clear if one or two doses of vaccine are needed in your case.
I would get the antibodies rechecked in 3 months. Yours sounds like MOST Covid cases, an annoying respiratory illness that goes away. The vaccination seems to help people with ongoing problems, but you don’t appear to be one of them. Vaccinate only if your antibodies drop.
