COVID-19 Vaccine & Booster FAQs

A frequent question SVMC employees are asking is whether they Should get the COVID-19 booster if they have recently had COVID-19. The answer is Yes! You should get a COVID-19 booster, even if you’ve already had COVID-19. Do not wait 90 days to get your COVID-19 booster.

Below are a few facts about getting the COVID-19 Vaccine from the CDC. 

If I already had COVID-19 and recovered, am I protected by natural immunity, or do I still need to get a COVID-19 vaccine? 
Getting sick with COVID-19 offers some protection from future illness with COVID-19, sometimes called “natural immunity.” The level of protection people get from having COVID-19 may vary depending on how mild or severe their illness was, the time since their infection, and their age. Currently, no available test can reliably determine if a person is protected from infection.

Is the immunity I get from the COVID-19 vaccination really effective?
All COVID-19 vaccines currently available in the United States are effective at preventing COVID-19. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine gives most people a high level of protection against COVID-19 even in people who have already been sick with COVID-19. 

If I've had the virus, am I protecting myself from getting it again by being vaccinated? 
Emerging evidence shows that getting a COVID-19 vaccine after you recover from COVID-19 infection provides added protection to your immune system. One study showed that, for people who already had COVID-19, those who do not get vaccinated after their recovery are more than 2 times as likely to get COVID-19 again than those who get fully vaccinated after their recovery.

For more FAQs and Myths from the CDC, visit CDC.org