COVID-19 infection or vaccination? Study confirms which is more effective for immunity

COVID-19 protection varies based on an individual’s circumstances. And while there are different sources of protection, two new studies show there is a group of people who have higher levels of COVID-19 immunity than others.

The studies show that people with “hybrid immunity” are best armed against the virus. This immunity refers to people who have been fully vaccinated and also had a natural COVID-19 infection. Aside from satisfying some curiosity, these studies also demonstrate the importance of getting vaccinated regardless of an individual’s situation, with vaccines prolonging protection and minimizing the likelihood of hospitalization.

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One of the studies included data from thousands of people in Brazil, a country experiencing severe flare-ups. It showed that those who had a previous infection and then had a Pfizer, AstraZeneca or Moderna vaccine had expanded their protection to 90%.

The second study, conducted by Swedish researchers, found that people with previous infections and vaccinations were less likely to be re-infected and end up in hospital.

Although the results were expected by researchers and experts, there is one caveat: they were performed before the Omicron variant, which works slightly differently than the first set of variants. Nevertheless, the researchers remain quite hopeful. In the near future, it is very likely that the majority of the world’s population will have fought off COVID-19 infection and also received a COVID-19 vaccine, which will then offer protection against emerging variants.

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New studies continue to shed light on COVID-19 and how the disease works. The results of a provocation study ⁠ – a study in which volunteers without vaccinations or prior protection were exposed to the virus and then monitored for results ⁠ – were recently released. The results showed the amount of virus required for infection, the length of time people start shedding the virus and how long they remain contagious. Interestingly, it also found that half of the participants were not affected by the virus, although they had no protection against it.