CDC claims in new study vaccination offers better protection than a previous COVID infection

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims a new study indicates people who are vaccinated against COVID-19 are better protected against future hospitalizations than having natural immunity from a prior infection.

The study, released on Friday, analyzed more than 7,000 people from spanning nine states and 187 hospitals and compared those who had not gotten a vaccine but had contracted the coronavirus over the last three to six months versus others who had gotten a vaccine during the same time window.

“The analysis found people hospitalized with coronavirus-like symptoms were more than five times more likely to test positive for COVID-19 if they had had recent prior infection than if they were recently vaccinated,” The Hill reported Friday.

“We now have additional evidence that reaffirms the importance of COVID-19 vaccines, even if you have had prior infection,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky noted in a statement. “This study adds more to the body of knowledge demonstrating the protection of vaccines against severe disease from COVID-19.”

The CDC’s findings appear to conflict with multiple earlier analyses that indicate natural immunity provides better protection from reinfection than any of the currently available vaccines.

For instance, an Israeli study reviewed by Johns Hopkins School of Public Health noted that researchers “found that the rates of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections in vaccinated individuals, while very low (highest rate = 1.5%), were significantly higher than the rates of reinfection and hospitalization in previously infected individuals.”

Also, the researchers discovered that “individuals who were previously infected who received one dose of the Pfizer vaccine were even more protected from breakthrough infection than the naturally infected group,” the Johns Hopkins review said, adding: “There were no deaths in any of the groups examined.”

Earlier this month, the Brownstone Institute for Social and Economic Research highlighted dozens of studies indicating that natural immunity provided more and better protection from COVID-19 reinfection and severe illness than currently available vaccines.

“These studies demonstrate what was and is already known: natural immunity for a SARS-type virus is robust, long-lasting, and broadly effective even in the case of mutations, generally more so than vaccines,” the think tank stated in a summary.

“People who have contracted the virus and recovered deserve recognition. The realization that natural immunity – which pertains now to perhaps half of the US population and billions around the world – is effective in providing protection should have a dramatic effect on vaccine mandates,” the summary continued. “Individuals whose livelihoods and liberties are being deprecated and deleted need access to the scientific literature as it pertains to this virus.”

Nevertheless, the CDC and other federal health agencies have urged Americans to get a vaccine even if they have contracted the virus.

At a press conference earlier this week, Walensky said that hospitalization rates for unvaccinated people is about 12 times higher than for people who have been vaccinated.

She also reported that the vaccination rate in the country for those 12 years old and older has risen to 78 percent with at least one jab. She went on to say, however, that leaves around 60 million Americans who are still unvaccinated.

Missy Halsey

Comment

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. If a comment is spam, instead of replying to it please click the ∨ icon below and to the right of that comment. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.

Latest Articles