CDC study finds prior infection provides better immunity against COVID than vaccines
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A new study from the CDC based on 2021 data finds that people infected with the Delta variant of COVID-19 developed slightly stronger immunity against the virus compared to those who just received the vaccine.
The immunity advantage of being infected vs. vaccinated only started once the Delta variant became predominant in the spring and summer of 2021.
"Before Delta became the predominant variant in June, case rates were higher among persons who survived a previous infection than persons who were vaccinated alone," researchers wrote. "By early October, persons who survived a previous infection had lower case rates than persons who were vaccinated alone."
The study, published in the MMWR, was based on cases and hospitalizations between May and November 2021 in New York and California.
"Importantly, infection-derived protection was higher after the Delta variant became predominant, a time when vaccine-induced immunity for many persons declined because of immune evasion and immunologic waning," the researchers added. "Similar cohort data accounting for booster doses needs to be assessed, as new variants, including Omicron, circulate."
Vaccine manufacturers: Pfizer (PFE
-0.6%), BioNTech (BNTX
+0.8%), Moderna (MRNA
-0.6%), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ
+0.1%), AstraZeneca (AZN
+1.0%), and Novavax (NVAX
-1.3%).
In a news conference yesterday, President Biden insisted the country will not be going on lockdowns again.
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