The protection gained after individuals infected with COVID-19 get vaccinated, a term dubbed "hybrid immunity," could be key in guiding vaccination policies, wrote Charlotte Thålin, PhD, for The New York Times Oct. 28.
Dr. Thålin studied 2,150 healthcare workers in Sweden after COVID-19 infection and vaccination and found that the protection gained from infection can be significantly bolstered by a single COVID-19 vaccine dose.
"No one should ever try to get Covid-19 to gain the protection of so-called natural immunity. Even a mild infection carries the risk of longer-term serious health problems," Dr. Thålin wrote. "But there are settings in which someone’s previous Covid-19 infection should be taken into consideration for vaccine policies, and some countries are already doing so."
Some European countries recommend people without underlying health conditions who have already been infected receive one dose of a vaccine for vaccines with a two-dose schedule, but Dr. Thålin notes those instances are exceptions.
"But recognition of prior infection as a strong contributor to immunity must not be mistaken as an anti-vaccination stand," Dr. Thålin concluded. "The effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccines is not in question. But a full vaccine course is not the only way that people can be protected from Covid-19. Open discussions about the risks and benefits of tailored approaches for groups like children are worth having."