Mélissa Benoît’s family, like many other families over the past month, received COVID-19 as a gift at the end of the year. Two forties and a septuagenarian doubly vaccinated, a child who received a single dose, and a toddler still too young to be vaccinated all caught the damn virus.
Now that all these beautiful people are (or are on the way) back together, Mr.me Benoît asks himself the question: what happens with the third dose, or the second in the case of his eldest child? Should we go get it as planned in January? “I searched, but I did not find answers to these questions precisely, which are perhaps the (unforeseen) portrait of several families at present,” she writes to us.
Short answer: After recovering from an infection, there is no rush to get another dose of the vaccine. In any case, it is better to wait at least eight weeks after an infection before going for the vaccine.
Let us take a look at the situations facing many infected people at the start of the year.
1. Doubly vaccinated person, who has been infected in the past month
“If a person has had two doses of the vaccine and one infection, they are considered to have the same level of protection as three doses of the vaccine,” says Dr.r Gaston De Serres, from the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ). “Obviously, they are not forbidden to go get another dose of vaccine, but we ask them to wait three months, or at least eight weeks, after infection. ”
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The Dr Gaston De Serres from the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ)
It is not dangerous to receive a dose of the vaccine immediately after an infection, but it is unwise. “When our immune system has just been boosted, there’s no point in giving another boost quickly,” says Dr.r From Serres.
“The system is already in the midst of“ consolidating its achievements ”, it has developed a panoply of antibodies and cells that contribute to cellular immunity. In short, with the level of antibodies in the pipeline, no need to go to Clic Santé for several weeks.
2. Doubly vaccinated person, who was infected more than a month ago
On November 29, the first case of infection with the Omicron variant was confirmed in Quebec. On December 15, the prevalence of Omicron stood at over 50%, downgrading Delta which had been ruling since mid-August. And on January 2, that prevalence stood at 97.5%. But does it matter which of the variants causes an infection?
“It is known that in South Africa people who have caught Omicron have levels of antibodies that can neutralize Delta,” says Dr.r Don Vinh, microbiologist at the McGill University Health Center. But this is not necessarily true in the reverse case. This means that infection with one variant does not necessarily protect against all variants. ”
When in doubt, the Dr Vinh suggests receiving a booster dose if the infection is more than eight weeks old. Note that the Quebec Immunization Committee considers that a booster dose in doubly vaccinated people who have been infected is “of little use, whatever the sequence of the infection and the two vaccinations”. .
3. Person doubly vaccinated, who could not be tested despite symptoms
Due to the scarcity of rapid tests and the long lines at testing centers, many people will prefer to stay home with their suspicious symptoms, not knowing whether, in the end, it was “it” or not.
“These people have two choices,” says Dr From Serres. Or they’re like, “I think it was COVID, but if in doubt, I’ll go get my booster dose.” Or they have little doubts because they developed symptoms after a loved one tested positive, the likelihood of having had COVID is therefore very high, and they may then decide to postpone their booster dose. Moreover, once Omicron is defeated, there is very little risk of being re-infected with this same variant, says Dr.r Vinh.
4. Person who has received a single dose and is awaiting the second
This is particularly the case for many children aged 5 to 11, who received a dose before the holidays (in full swing when Omicron was spreading) and who are due to receive the second in January. “According to pediatric data, a single dose is sufficient when it is given at least 21 days after a positive test”, observes Dr Jonathan Hudon, family doctor.
“But for a child who had COVID at the same time as the first dose, it’s not clear. So it would be worth having a booster dose. This is also what the INSPQ suggests, which then recommends waiting a good eight weeks from the infection, and not from the first dose, to administer the second.
5. Person who is not vaccinated at all
“There are more and more asymptomatic people,” says Dr.r Hudon, a sign that many vaccinated people, even if they catch the virus, do not develop symptoms because they are protected. The risk of contagion for non-vaccinated people (including children under 5) is therefore greater. “But if people haven’t figured out yet that everyone is going to get COVID, and over and over again, I don’t think they’re going to end up accepting it. ”
If an infected and unvaccinated person wishes to receive the vaccine to strengthen their defenses before the next wave, they must wait at least eight weeks after infection, for the reasons discussed above.
Wait for a vaccine designed against Omicron?
The vaccine recipe has not undergone many changes in a year. Since the Omicron variant is different from others, is it better to wait for a specially designed booster dose against this variant, as the labs plan to produce? “Bad idea”, answers the Dr Don Vinh. “The current vaccine provides a sufficient level of antibody to neutralize Omicron,” he says. It will take months before a new vaccine is offered. And in the meantime, you are very likely to get infected and get sick. The booster dose is aimed precisely at reducing the amount of antibodies to a level high enough to better cope with the virus.