The Chief Scientist at WHO has warned against reinfection by the new South African variant. While there are high chances of reinfection, awareness regarding the symptoms of reinfection might help.

The emerging variants of COVID-19 have been found to reinfect people who have had COVID-19 infection earlier. Considering an increased rate of reinfection caused by the new variant, the researchers who are a part of the leading global health organization WHO, including Dr. Soumya Swaminathan the Chief Scientist, have marked an alert.

Dr. Swaminathan states: “We are now getting reports of people getting reinfected with the new variant of the virus. Reports from South Africa suggest that people who have had prior infection could get infected again.”

⚠️REINFECTION WARNING from the WHO.

“We are now getting reports of people getting reinfected with a new variant—from ???????? (#B1351)—suggesting people who’ve had prior infection could get infected again.” says Chief Scientist Dr. Soumya Swaminathan. #COVID19pic.twitter.com/crZLmqGqnn

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) February 12, 2021

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Shedding some light on the rising concerns, Epidemiologist and Health Economist Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding provided some information on his tweet dated February 12.

In a study that involved participants from South Africa, the placebo group for Novawax’s vaccination who had an infection previously was aa vulnerable to reinfection as those had not been infected previously. A part of his thread on Twitter read as follows:

“This comes on the heels of troubling data I highlighted last week from the placebo group of the Novavax ???????? trial that people previously infected and have #COVID19 antibodies (seropositive) has no protection for #B1351 variant reinfection— not even for severe disease!”

2) This comes on the heels of troubling data I highlighted last week from the placebo group of the Novavax ???????? trial that that people previously infected and have #COVID19 antibodies (seropositive) has no protection for #B1351 variant reinfection— not even for severe disease! https://t.co/yqgeNJsgzj

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) February 12, 2021

Worrisome discovery—Among placebo group for Novavax’s vaccine in South Africa????????: people with prior #COVID19 infections appeared just as likely to get sick as people without prior infections—means past infection wasn’t fully protective for #B1351 variant.????https://t.co/K5zY4ZcSMV pic.twitter.com/LB1HKIur34

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) February 6, 2021

Here are the alarming symptoms that will help you identify the reinfection caused in your body by the new variant.

Hussain Abdeh who is a Superintendent Pharmacist at Medicine Direct suggests four symptoms that one must be mindful and aware of. He stated that apart from fever, cough, lack of taste, and smell,  which are obvious signs of COVID-19 infection if one is experiencing fatigue for no particular or explainable reason, the person may have COVID-19 infection.

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A new variant of coronavirus is spreading rapidly in South Africa. It is found to be highly infectious than the original strain of the virus.  The strain is known as 501.V2. This variant is different as compared to other emerging variants that are being studied in the United Kingdom. Also, it carries E484K as a mutation. However, there hasn’t been any concrete discovery whether the variant causes any evidently different symptoms. There also aren’t any findings regarding the severity of threat caused by the variant in comparison to the original one.

Immense tiredness combined with fever, cough, and lack of taste and smell are symptoms that are alarming enough in order to get tested for COVID-19. Self-quarantine for a minimum of 10 days is highly advisable on experiencing any of the symptoms, while testing stays mandatory.

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“The sooner you get tested, the better,” – NHS