It has been repeatedly said that anyone who has had a COVID infection is well protected against subsequent infection, probably even better than immunization.

For currently circulating variants, this may be true.

But what about the ones to come? This has now been investigated in a study.

What protects you better against another COVID infection: being recovered or vaccinated?

Since the start of the international immunization program, scientists have been looking into this subject.

It is true that recuperation leads to greater immune response and, as a result, better protection in the future.

Indeed, there have been studies that have suggested this in the past. These, however, are now obsolete. Because, thanks to Omicron, a lot has changed in the world of Coronavirus.

The omicron strain is thought to be far more contagious than the preceding types. It is able to evade the immunological response triggered by past infections as well as vaccination. Its BA.2 subtype, in particular, is rapidly gaining traction around the world, and the following sub-variants are already in the works.

At the same time, however, the variant triggers milder courses. This means fewer people become seriously ill after an infection. As a result, the immunity to re-infection is worse than it was with the Delta variant about a year ago. It often happens that people become infected twice with omicron or once more with another subtype.

New study examines immunity after vaccination and infection

Scientists from the University of Freiburg, therefore, investigated how immunity is actually determined after an infection or a vaccination. They published their results in the journal “Nature”. The study period included patients from August 2019 to January 2022, so there were also those with omicron infections among the study participants.

The researchers analyzed the T-cell response of vaccinated and recovered people. These cells are formed during an infection or vaccination and, alongside antibodies, play an important role in defending against the coronavirus. They are part of cellular immunity and tend to stay in the body longer than neutralizing antibodies. They are therefore particularly important to prevent renewed infections and severe courses. This is achieved by the T-cells recognizing and fighting the spike protein of the virus, which is used to enter the body’s cells.

Immune response after vaccination broader than after infection

The Freiburg scientists established three things in their study:

• Those who have recovered form T cells, but not specific ones that are tailored to the spike protein.
• Those who have been vaccinated, on the other hand, form a significantly broader immune response, including specific T cells that are tuned to the spike protein.
• A booster vaccination of those who have recovered also leads to a broader immune response.

The broader the immune response, the better the protection against re-infection. In other words, according to the Freiburg results, the immune response from vaccination is better than that from just the infection. Anyone who has recovered should therefore still be vaccinated.

The data emphasized the relevance of mRNA vaccinations in combating emerging corona variants, including omicron, the researchers write. 

“After vaccination, T cells directed to the SARSCoV2 spike are broader than after infection, lending further support for the need for vaccination post-Covid,” US doctor Eric Topol interprets the results on Twitter.

After vaccination, T cells directed to the #SARSCoV2 spike are broader than after infection, lending further support for the need for vaccination post-Covidhttps://t.co/vGsh59VjNv @NatureMicrobiol pic.twitter.com/Wd7mRi0Tqy

— Eric Topol (@EricTopol) April 28, 2022

Image Credit: Getty

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