Discovering Natural COVID-19 Immunity Secrets

Summary of Uncovering the Secrets of Natural COVID-19 Immunity:
The review assessed data from 65 studies in 19 countries and found that protection against severe disease remained universally high for 10 months after past infection. A comprehensive review and meta-analysis published in The Lancet have found that natural immunity against severe COVID-19 is solid and long-lasting for all variants in individuals previously infected, including Omicron BA.1. However, past infection with pre-Omicron variants resulted in reduced natural immunity protection against reinfection with Omicron BA.1. Vaccine efficacy was found to be at least equal to innate immunity against severe COVID-19. The study stresses that vaccination is still the safest way to acquire immunity. Further research is needed to assess the natural immunity of emerging variants and to examine the protection provided by combinations of vaccination and natural condition.

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Research by The Lancet Shows Strong and Long-Lasting Natural Immunity Against Severe COVID-19 in Previously Infected Individuals

Protection against reinfection, symptomatic disease, and severe illness is at least equal to that provided by two doses of mRNA vaccines. A comprehensive review and meta-analysis published in The Lancet reveal that natural immunity against severe COVID-19 (hospitalization and death) is solid and long-lasting for all variants, including Omicron BA.1, in individuals previously infected. However, past infection with pre-Omicron variants reduced natural immunity protection against reinfection with Omicron BA.1.

The study included 65 studies from 19 countries, providing the most extensive review and meta-analysis assessing the extent of protection following COVID-19 infection by variant and how durable that protection is against different variants. For people infected with COVID-19 at least once before, natural immunity against severe disease (hospitalization and death) was strong and long-lasting for all variants (88% or greater at 10 months post-infection).

Protection against Omicron BA.1 reinfection is reduced for those with past pre-Omicron infections. The researchers say we should recognize the natural immunity in people recently infected with COVID-19 but warn that their findings should not discourage vaccination because it is the safest way to acquire immunity.

Vaccination vs. natural immunity

Although natural immunity offers strong and long-lasting protection against severe COVID-19, researchers stress that vaccination is still the safest way to acquire immunity. Someone previously infected with COVID-19 risk of hospitalization or death is 88% lower for at least 10 months than those who had not been previously infected. Still, vaccines continue to be important for everyone to protect high-risk populations, such as those over 60 years of age and those with comorbidities.

“Vaccination is the safest way to acquire immunity, whereas acquiring natural immunity must be weighed against the risks of severe illness and death associated with the initial infection,” says lead author Dr. Stephen Lim from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine, USA.

Immunity fades over time.

Data analysis from 21 studies reporting on time since infection from a pre-Omicron variant estimated that protection against reinfection from a pre-Omicron variant was about 85% at one month—which fell to about 79% at 10 months. Protection from a pre-Omicron variant infection against reinfection from the Omicron BA.1 variant was lower (74% at one month) and declined rapidly to 36% at around 10 months.

However, analysis of five studies reporting on severe disease (hospitalization and death) found that protection remained universally high for 10 months: 90% for ancestral, Alpha, and Delta, and 88% for Omicron BA.1.

Overall, the study provides substantial evidence for recognizing natural immunity against severe COVID-19 but also highlights the importance of continuous assessment and research, particularly in light of emerging variants like Omicron. Vaccination remains the safest and most effective way to acquire immunity and protect high-risk populations.

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