Yes. You can get COVID-19 again after recovering from a previous infection.
While recovering from COVID-19 does provide some protection against future infections, that protection:
- Can decrease over time
- Varies from person to person
- May be less effective against new variants
Because the virus continues to change, people can be reinfected, sometimes even within a few months of their last illness.
However, prior infection may still help the body respond faster and can provide some protection against severe illness if reinfection occurs. Staying up to date on COVID-19 vaccines remains the safest way to protect yourself from future COVID-19 infections.
Data from clinical trials indicate that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are safe in persons with evidence of a prior COVID-19 infection. Vaccination should be offered to persons regardless of history of prior symptomatic or asymptomatic COVID-19 infection, this includes people with prolonged post-COVID-19 symptoms. Viral testing to assess for COVID-19 infection or serologic testing to assess for prior infection solely for the purposes of vaccine decision-making is not recommended.
Vaccination of persons with known current COVID-19 infection should be deferred until the person has recovered from the acute illness (if the person had symptoms) and criteria have been met for them to discontinue isolation. This recommendation applies to persons who develop COVID-19 infection before receiving any vaccine doses as well as those who develop infection after the first dose but before receipt of the second dose.
Sources:
CDC: About Reinfection
American Lung Association: Steps to Take if you Test Positive for COVID-19