Natural Immunity

The following is a study out of Israel from last summer titled:

Comparing SARS-CoV-2 natural immunity to vaccine-induced immunity: reinfections versus breakthrough infections

The Conclusions: This study demonstrated that natural immunity confers longer lasting and stronger protection against infection, symptomatic disease and hospitalization caused by the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, compared to the BNT162b2 two-dose vaccine-induced immunity. Individuals who were both previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 and given a single dose of the vaccine gained additional protection against the Delta variant.

This study showed that natural immunity is 13 times more effective than vaccines in protecting individuals. “SARS-CoV-2-naïve vaccines had a 13-fold increased risk for breakthrough infection with the Delta variant compared to those previously infected.”

A smaller CDC study offers a different conclusion, namely that the vaccines offer better protection. According to the study authors, “These findings suggest that among hospitalized adults with COVID-19-like illness whose previous infection or vaccination occurred 90–179 days earlier, vaccine-induced immunity was more protective than infection-induced immunity against laboratory-confirmed COVID-19.”

While the Israeli study had 10 times more people, they primarily used the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. In the U.S., three are approved, including the Pfizer, the Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

Dr. Marty Makary, a professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and editor in chief of MedPage Today, argues that mandating vaccines for “every living, walking American” is, as of now, not well-supported by science.

In September, Makary shared that there are more than 15 studies that have demonstrated the power of immunity acquired by previously having the virus. This affirmed a June Cleveland Clinic study of health-care workers (who are often exposed to the virus), in which none who had previously tested positive for the coronavirus got reinfected. The study authors concluded that “individuals who have had SARS-CoV-2 infection are unlikely to benefit from covid-19 vaccination.” In May, a Washington University study found that even a mild COVID infection resulted in long-lasting immunity.

So it seems to me at this point that the preponderance of evidence suggests that natural immunity is better than vaccine induced immunity … the one CDC study notwithstanding. 

What I do not understand is why the CDC doesn’t collect data that either confirms or denies that natural immunity is protective. In a recent bizarre twist of logic, two Supreme Court Justices felt one way about Biden’s generalized vaccine mandates (6-3 against), but yet felt the opposite (5-4 for) when confronted with a similar question concerning health care workers. 

What makes this so befuddling to me is that healthcare workers undoubtedly have had a much higher exposure to Covid and logically thus a much higher incidence of prior Covid infections. If prior infection does indeed confer natural immunity, then it would stand to reason that this group would actually be the group that could logically argue against mandated vaccination!

At this point, my recommendation to anyone who has had  a positive Covid test …”keep a hard copy of this positive test result,” as in the near future this test result could be your escape clause for vaccination and for further boosters.

1/21/22

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