Coronavirus: Natural immunity or vaccines, which protects you for longer?

COVID-19 vaccines have been a great boon in keeping the pandemic from a worse turn than it already is. While we are far from having coronavirus vaccines reach all, there's already new worries sighted about their waning immunity. Variants, dropping antibodies and the virus which doesn't seem to stop spreading are increasing our vulnerability to the virulent virus in circulation.

At the same time, there's also newfound considerations about the immunity granted by a natural infection. With infection rates continuing to rise, high levels of exposure, according to some, may not just make the virus slow down, but also grant sufficient immunity, more protective than previously known. But which amongst these offers a better shot against virus protection? Would it be worth skipping a vaccine shot if you have high levels of natural immunity?

Natural immunity is the one which comes with exposure to a pathogen or in this case, a virus. In the recovery stage, the immune system actively fights to root out the virus and in doing so, remembers traces of the infectious pathogen , which help generate out necessary antibodies to prevent the body from a future infection. Also referred to as innate immunity, it doesn't require any sensitization to the antigen, and is considered the natural means through which the body builds a protective response.

In comparison to this, vaccine-driven immunity, also referred to as artificial immunity, is a means through which the body's immune system is 'trained' to spike a fruitful immune response and generate immunity which lasts for a foreseeable while. This is done through administration or forceful introduction to a form of antigen (similar to the original target spike protein, or a harmless bit of the spike protein) clinically isolated and corrected in labs. Once the antigen is introduced (via the vaccine dose), it makes the body recognize the infection pattern, build sustainable antibodies which then kick into action if the body encounters the actual pathogen again. Most of the COVID-19 vaccines available to us right now are built in a similar manner and work to mimic immune response.

While immunity in itself is a wide concept, and there are different ways in which our body actively protects us, immunity with respect to COVID-19 has been seen to wane after a while, and re-expose a person to risks. From what is known to us right now, immunity and antibody response generated via natural exposure and antibodies tend to lower down after a while and do not remain as effective as before. However, the degree to which the efficacy comes down is questionable at the moment.

As per previous findings, immunity gained after fighting COVID-19 (natural immunity) remains at its peak for 3-5 months post infection, and then starts to fall down. Waning antibody counts, and low levels of immunity posit risks. With vaccines, while the immune protection was considered to be more maximising has now been found to lower down with time, be less effective. As per some research available on the matter, vaccine-driven immunity, as its best, protects an individual for 6-9 months time, before it starts to lower down.

Vaccine-driven protection has also been seen to become less effective with the virus mutations in circulation. Not only does the virus become smarter as it mutates, it also gains the ability to surpass vaccine-driven antibodies and spread to organs quicker.

As experts say, vaccine-driven immunity can be more protective and long-standing than natural immunity. But it may not always be the case, and there are also different means through which we should be comparing the immune protection offered by vaccines to that of a past infection.

The differential factors, according to some experts, can make all the difference and give us an answer of the actual risk-benefit ratio. For example, vaccines, on many grounds, offer better, scientifically proven odds right now. COVID-19 vaccines have been clinically tested to lower down the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, mortality, and in some cases, cut down transmission and long COVID risk as well. While the Delta variant continues to pose a threat and waves spread, there's enough anecdotal evidence to support the same. These factors haven't been seen to be present with natural immunity acquired via prior infection.

Secondly, it is also known that vaccines, unlike natural infections, work to dole out a uniform, more or less similar immune response, which implies that everyone would be equally protected. Natural COVID-19 infection can create different immune responses, based on the type of infection a person contracted- asymptomatic, mild, moderate or severe.

Therefore, even as we may have ever-changing policies on vaccination and crunch of supplies, it's important to understand that for maximum protection and to protect billions from experiencing worse risks of natural exposure, vaccines are very much needed and are quite beneficial too. Skipping out, or relying on natural immunity alone wouldn't do the job.

While this is still under a lot of research , medical experts have suggested that recovering from the infection naturally may strengthen one's protective odds, and make the vaccine work better. Rethinking, or prioritizing doses for those who have had no history may indeed drive us to community-wide immunization faster.

Some small studies have also observed that the people who have recovered from the virus once, and have received one dose of the vaccine have a higher immune response and protection rates than the ones who have been unvaccinated, or vaccinated without prior history. This is because their bodies have a quicker turnaround time in recognizing the spike protein, and generate stronger, more protective antibodies.