Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to receive his first dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine today, after reassuring the public it was “safe”.
The PM was himself treated in hospital when he contracted coronavirus in April 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic.
When someone has had coronavirus, their bodies make antibodies that protect them from reinfection.
So you may be wondering, why someone who has already had Covid-19 needs the jab.
Unfortunately, although the body creates antibodies, it isn’t a long-term solution for protection against Covid-19. Here is all you need to know.
Do you still need the Covid vaccine if you’ve already had coronavirus?
In short, yes, if you’ve already had and recovered from coronavirus, you still need to get the vaccine.
So if you are invited to get a vaccine, you should attend, even if you’ve tested positive for Covid-19 in the past.
If you have already had Covid it is possible your body may have built up some natural antibodies to the virus.
However, it is still unclear if someone recovers from Covid, if it results in long term immunity, or if it fully protects you from catching the virus again.
There have been several cases of people who have tested positive for Covid catching it again later down the line.
A study led by Public Health England (PHE) shows that most people who have had the virus are protected from catching it again for at least five months.
Meanwhile, data from the UK Biobank found that antibodies last for six months, for 88% of people.
But Research at King’s College London also found that levels of antibodies that kills coronavirus waned over the three months study, which means you could still catch it.
The NHS has said there is no evidence of any safety concerns from vaccinating people with a past history of Covid-19 infection – even with detectable antibodies.
You can have the vaccine 28 days after you had a positive test for Covid-19, or 28 days after your symptoms started, according to the NHS Oxford University Hospital website.
More than 25 million people have had their first dose of the Covid vaccine now.
But an unexpected delay in the UK’s Covid vaccine supply means that there will be a reduction in the amount of jabs given from March 29.
This means no one under 50 will get their first dose until May 1 – only those who are over 50, clinically vulnerable, and those waiting for their second dose, will get their jab.
