How Long Does COVID-19 Immunity Last?

A person who has been vaccinated against COVID-19 will have a slightly different immune response to the coronavirus than someone who was previously infected, researchers say. How long does immunity last—and is it all about antibodies?

PRODUCTION CREDITS:

Digital Producer:
Emily Zendt
Production assistance:
Robert Boyd, David Condon, Shyla Duff, Christina Monnen

Additional Footage:
Edgeworx
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
University of Washington School of Pharmacy

Archival:
Storyblocks

Music: APM

© WGBH Educational Foundation 2021

[munchems]

I’m unvaccinated and just recovered from my first Covid 19 infection. The symptoms lasted 3 days. I had a fever and body aches. No other symptoms.

[timccormick]

I was infected with C19 just before the lock down and was down for a week and recovered. Since then I have been exposed to multiple people with confirmed cases of C19, before I interacted with them, with no noticeable effects. The interesting thing I find is that I haven't been sick at all since I recovered.

[MsJones-mcgq]

No thanks. No one should loose there job, no one should be forced, no one should be lied to about the vaccines nor boosters and no one should be put in prison...

[stefano]

I got infected about 3 weeks ago. Felt really sick. Had fevers, sore throat, insane headaches, trouble breathing and my energy levels went down a lot. I slept like 18 hours a day. I recovered past week, I still feel like my energy levels are pretty low though and they say that might last for a few weeks. Glad I recovered though, luckily I'm still young.

[loeuvremanic]

Feel like these researches statements are quite manipulative when underestimating the natural antibodies built after infection. And prioritizing vaccination over it even with unknown long term complications.

[ElleKayLife]

At least 11 months because we got it in Jan 2021 and tested for immunity antibodies 6 weeks after (they were strong) now it’s November and we retested and the numbers are higher! 🙌🏻

[sammyjocatlady]

Even being very careful, I got C19, got my vaccines 6 months later and got ANOTHER C19 infection 4 months later that was worse than the first infection. Scary. But no hospitalization...

[jckorn]

A moment of silence for the immunocompromised.
Life....will never be the same for them.
The antibody treatment is a great tool to help those people.
But they've got to remain cautious to survive.

[kevincarr]

I was tested positive on September 25th my son and mother in law tested positive today. They both live with my wife and I, we are negative. I think natural immunity is better than vaccination. I just had a friend die and he was fully vaccinated so remember you can get it so keep wearing masks and taking precautions. The people in my town are not doing that at all. They stopped wearing masks because they're

[samuelg]

So regular injections of this serum that researchers don't know for sure is what we need? The video literally said researchers don't know

[racekelly]

My dad died from COVID-19, he was 81 and fully vaccinated. my fully vaccinated aunt was taking care of other people who were sick with covid, so she accidentally gave it to dad. So explain to me how 2 fully vaccinated people gave each other covid?

[youtubedeletesmikewhochees]

Depends on how obsessed you are with the covid news networks.. have people forgotten the majority of coronavirus cases are asymptomatic where people show little to no signs of having it..

[worldcitizeng]

I was traveling in Egypt from September 1st to 29th, 2021. Only 3% of the population in Giza, Alexandria were wearing mask. I was in crowded 100% capacity trains, buses, mini buses ferry, and I filmed a Nubian wedding, no one was wearing mask. People were pushing each other shoulder to shoulder in train/bus stations 😣😫
They said " we don't have Corona here" those who work in the hospitality industry said they were vaccinated but I'm not sure about the rest.
I'm fully vaccinated with Pfizer in May. I wore 2 masks, gloves and goggles in crowded areas. I clean my phone with alcohol spray daily.. My question is
Have they reach herd immunity?
Or the 100F heat kills the virus?
It was mostly close to 100F or 100F during my visit.

[Not-Sorry]

I was practicing social distancing before it was cool and I still got it twice. People suck.

[char]

I am 11 and currently infected and ill with this terrible virus, people wear your masks. I am going to miss out on 6th grade science camp because I have this, and i’ve been sobbing all day.
Please please just be careful, and wear your mask, it’s the east you can do for the young and elderly!

[Cyber_Nomad]

Wow, PBS/NOVA were SO WRONG about C-19. Have you ever apologized for spreading so much bad information now that the facts are known?

[doctorboxing]

Just caught covid for the second time. The first time I got it in the first lockdown was a walk in the park. This one really struck me down. The headache was by far the worse one I’ve ever had in my life but luckily it started too ware off on day 3/4. Breathing was fine and that’s what you look for. Had diarrhoea, sore throat, nausea, appetite went, dizziness and my mental health was affected also. Hopefully it’s all behind me now

[johnbrewer]

Nice little politically correct video that works hard to not say that natural immunity is better. The collusion between govt and big-pharma is unbelievable. This govt-in-bed-with-industry is the primary difference between fascism and communism, where the govt owns industry.

[davidpaz]

From a 10/28/2021 San Francisco Chronicle article titled *Definition of 'fully vaccinated' could change, CDC chief says. Here's what that means:*
“We’re doing an experiment in real time, ” said Warner Greene, a virologist and senior investigator at the Gladstone Institutes in San Francisco. “We don’t know how to optimally use the vaccines yet. What we do know is that two shots are not preventing infections as efficiently after six months.”

[DevinaMagdalena]

I had it last year and I got a different strain this year, my natural antibodies lasted a year. I did not get the vaccine and I didn’t need to see a doctor or go to the hospital over it.