Is “super immunity” against COVID after omicron infection possible? Here is the science
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In recent months, the omicron variant caused a surge that resulted in a record number of reported cases in North Carolina and around the world.
As of Feb. 18, at least 4,871 new COVID-19 cases have been reported by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, though overall infections have stabilized.
At the height of the omicron surge in January, Mecklenburg County saw a high of 38% in positive COVID-19 cases.
With a high rate of people -- vaccinated and unvaccinated becoming infected during the wave -- some craving a pre-pandemic life have wondered whether a breakthrough case results in “super immunity” against COVID-19.
The short answer is no.
There is no established research to support that any one person can be completely immune to coronavirus as a result of being a double-vaccinated and boosted.
However, a recent study from the Center for Disease Control demonstrates that infection and death rates of those who were double-vaccinated with an additional booster were lower than those who were only double-vaccinated.
The same study found evidence that both of these groups were much less likely to contract or die from coronavirus.
Another study suggests that those who are infected by the Omicron variant of COVID-19 can gain a non-permanent and infection-derived immunity against both Omicron and Delta variants of the virus.
Similarly, being double-vaccinated and boosted can grant an immunity that is only temporary, but unlike being solely protected by infection-derived immunity, the immunity granted by being a breakthrough case comes with a lower risk of death.
Soon enough, the mask mandate in Charlotte and surrounding areas will be lifted. This may not come with much of a change to restrictions as businesses are still allowed to implement their own masking requirements.
Those yearning to live mask-free should not rely on super immunity to protect them or their loved ones. After all, less than half of Mecklenburg County residents are double-vaccinated and received a booster dose.
The most recent data from North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services shows that as of Wednesday, 65% of Mecklenburg County residents are vaccinated with at least one dose while 61% are double-vaccinated (or have one dose of Johnson & Johnson) and 48% are double-vaccinated with at least one booster.
A person’s risk of becoming reinfected as a double-vaccinated and boosted breakthrough case isn’t substantially lower than anyone else of another vaccination status.
However, the likelihood that a person can experience a much milder case of the virus and survive an infection are considerably higher than those who are only double-vaccinated or are not vaccinated at all, health experts say.
This story was originally published February 22, 2022 at 6:00 AM.
