Coronavirus: Study finds risk of reinfection with Omicron is five times more than other variants; Are reinfections milder? How soon can you get reinfected?

Just as COVID cases are falling, a recent study by the Imperial College London has shown that the risk of reinfection with the Omicron coronavirus variant is more than five times higher than other strains, news agency IANS reported.

Cases of reinfection are more found in Omicron variants, experts have said. In a paper published in Nature, researchers have said that the highly contagious Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2, has significantly increased the number of people reinfected with Covid, unlike previous variants.

As per a data shared by the UK Health Security Agency, before mid-November, which is before the time when the Omicron strain of the coronavirus was found, reinfections accounted for about 1 per cent of reported cases of Covid-19, but the rate has now increased to around 10 per cent.

As the name suggests, reinfection is when a human body is exposed to the same pathogen even after a first time infection.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, "Reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19 means a person was infected, recovered, and then later became infected again. After recovering from COVID-19, most individuals will have some protection from repeat infections. However, reinfections do occur after COVID-19."

The World Health Organisation (WHO) also says about the possibility of reinfections due to Omicron strain. "Preliminary evidence suggests there may be an increased risk of reinfection with Omicron (ie, people who have previously had COVID-19 could become reinfected more easily with Omicron), as compared to other variants of concern, but information is limited," it had said in November 2021.

More infection is a reason for reinfection, says Catherine Bennett, an epidemiologist at Deakin University. With more people now already exposed to the virus, there is a higher chance of seeing reinfections, she explained. Omicron's speedy spread also increases the chance.

But the variant's ability to evade immunity is probably playing a part, Bennett has told the media which has also been said by many other health experts. Many studies have confirmed that the Omicron variant outwits the immunity induced by vaccination as well.

Though Omicron symptoms are said to be mild, experts and those who have been infected more than once have said that the COVID reinfection symptoms are much severe. Going with the reports of experiences of COVID reinfected people it can be said that the reinfection and reinfection symptoms are not distinct from each other.

Health experts have said that the symptoms of reinfection vary from person to person just like the COVID infection symptoms.

While many people experience sore throat, runny nose, many others can get mild to severe headaches.

Many experts have linked immunity with reinfection. While on one hand there is no definite answer to how soon one can get reinfected, but as per data from CDC, “the latest data suggests that retesting someone in the 3 months following initial infection is not necessary unless that person is exhibiting the symptoms of COVID-19 and the symptoms cannot be associated with another illness.”

On reinfection a report from Medanta says, “Most people who are infected with the COVID-19 virus, whether or not they have symptoms, produce antibodies (proteins that fight infections) and fighter cells. For those recovered, the chances of reinfection appear to be very low in the first three months after the initial infection.”

"If you had a mild infection, didn’t get a very good immune response, and you get exposed again with a big dose of the virus, it’s definitely possible," Dr Thomas Russo, professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, told the media on COVID-19 reinfection.

A reinfection is possible if four months have passed since the first infection, says a UK Health Security Agency study and survey.

Yes, previous infection from coronavirus does provide immunity from the virus, but the degree of immunity varies from variant to variant.

A team of researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine, Qatar in Doha have found that although having previously been infected was around 90 per cent effective at preventing an infection with the Alpha, Beta or Delta variants, it was only 56 per cent effective against Omicron.

This in a way implies that the protection a viral infection provides the body is likely to be reduced for the forthcoming strain.

Knowing about reinfection is essential to assess the hospital management, in case COVID cases soar up, says epidemiologist Benett in response to why understanding reinfection is essential.

During the second wave of COVID, for which Delta variant was responsible, hospital management worldwide had crumbled down.

Assessing the cases of reinfection of the Omicron variant, which is so far the most transmissible variant of the virus, is hence highly important.