Do children who have been infected with COVID-19 need to be vaccinated again? -Life Health

Many children aged 5-12 have contracted COVID-19 before they were vaccinated. So, whether children need to be vaccinated or not is a question of many parents.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Tien Dung, former Head of Pediatrics Department of Bach Mai Hospital, said that there are 2 streams of drinking ants, one that respects the natural immunity, then the children get sick and then have natural immunity, no need to be vaccinated.

The second opinion is that COVID-19 can be re-infected even if the person has had the disease or has received a full dose of the vaccine. So they are inclined to the idea of ​​injection.

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However, when to inject is a matter of controversy. Some say 3 months, some say 6 months and some say 8 months after getting the injection.

Dr. Pham Quang Thai, Head of the Northern Expanded Immunization Office, National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, said that in theory, after being infected with the virus, the body will create antibodies. However, with the virus SARS-CoV-2 Studies show that immunity induced by natural infection is weak.

Previously, a hospital that studied the use of plasma from people who had COVID-19 for treatment found that out of many people who came to collect plasma, 50% had no antibodies, only 10% had antibodies in the hospital. high level.

“At that time, a person who was naturally infected was a very deep infection, the virus in the respiratory area also created stronger immunity, but the antibodies produced were still low. Meanwhile, with the Omicron strain, people were found to be infected. mainly in the upper respiratory tract, so the immunity generated is not like the previous strains,” said Dr. Thai.

Therefore, experts have always recommended that even if you have COVID-19 and recovered, you should still get a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. Similar to children 5 to under 12 years old, even though they have the disease, but when there is a vaccine, they should still be vaccinated. Especially now that the Omicron variant is dominant in our country.

According to Dr. Thai, whether infected or not, for children, vaccination soon after will also create better immunity for the body to prevent future re-infections. If you have already been vaccinated but are infected again, the immunity is very strong, or if you are infected with additional injection, the immunity created is also very good. That’s why it’s not necessary to distinguish between past infection and non-infection to decide whether to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

“This means that whether or not children get it, they still get vaccinated. As for how long after contracting COVID-19, children can be vaccinated, just like adults, if children with COVID-19 only need to recover, they can be vaccinated, “said Dr. Thai.