🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 143 (from laksa011)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa143.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-you-get-covid-19-more-than-once\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-you-get-covid-19-more-than-once\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/can-you-get-covid-19-more-than-once","crawl_time":1776109166,"first_indexed_time":1629750920,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"org,clevelandclinic!health,\/can-you-get-covid-19-more-than-once s443","src_root_hash":"9889140825964526943","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Can You Get COVID-19 Twice?","meta_descriptions":["Experts say you’re not in the clear just because you’ve already contracted and recovered from the virus. You can get it more than once."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"You made it through COVID-19 once and now you’re feeling invincible. Surely, you’re not going to get it again, right? Especially after you got vaccinated?\nSorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that’s not exactly true. Experts say you’re not in the clear just because you’ve already contracted and recovered from the virus. Breakthrough cases are possible even in previously ill people who are fully vaccinated — and, if you’ve had COVID-19 already but are \nnot\n vaccinated, you may be at an even higher risk of getting sick again.\nPediatric infectious disease specialist \nFrank Esper, MD\n, answers your questions about COVID-19 reinfection, including how you can best protect yourself from getting the virus again.\nWhy you can get COVID-19 more than once\nYou can get\nCOVID-19\nmore than once. In fact, doctors continue to see COVID-19 infections because\nvaccine immunity decreases over time\n, we’ve stopped being as careful as we once were and new variants are coming in stronger than previous waves of coronavirus.\n“You put all four of those things together, and it’s not too surprising that we’re seeing more and more people becoming infected multiple times,” says Dr. Esper.\nHere’s why those four facts matter:\nThe pandemic has been happening for a while.\n In early January 2023, the U.S. \nsurpassed\n 101 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. “At this point, many of those infections happened months ago or more than a year ago,” Dr. Esper says. “The immunity from those initial infections begins to wane over time.”\nVaccine immunity diminishes with time, too.\n For Americans who got vaccinated as early as winter 2021, immunity may be starting to wane, as well. This is one reason why it’s critical to receive your third booster dose.\nWe’ve stopped being as careful.\n Gone are the early days of mass vigilance around safety precautions like \nmasking\n, handwashing and social distancing — all the things that initially kept the virus at bay.\nNew variants are extra-contagious. \nCOVID-19 variants\n are more infectious than the first wave of coronavirus. “These variants are able to overcome some of the existing immunity people developed via vaccination or a previous infection,” Dr. Esper states.\nAre variants to blame for reinfections?\nThe U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) reports that the delta variant was at least twice as contagious as previous variants, and\nomicron\n was even more contagious than delta as the dominant variant in the U.S. in 2021. Now, doctors are preparing for a\nnew dominant strain XBB.1.5\n.\nBut you may be surprised to learn that the coronavirus actually doesn’t mutate nearly as much as\ninfluenza\n, which changes nearly everything about its appearance from one year to the next. Rather, Dr. Esper says, it’s COVID-19’s contagiousness that makes it so, well, \ncontagious\n.\n“This variant’s infectiousness — including its ability to evade immune systems and prevent long-lasting immunity for those people who are infected with it — is one of the reasons why it’s been able to persist and come back,” he explains.\nHow soon after a COVID-19 infection can you get it again?\nResearch on when you can be reinfected with COVID-19 is mixed. Some studies have suggested that after you’ve been infected with COVID-19, you may be protected from reinfection for\nup to a year or more\n. Others say immunity following recovery from COVID-19\nonly lasts a few weeks\n, if even that.\nThe CDC says research is ongoing to better understand how soon people can be reinfected. The good news is that if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely to be less severe than your first time around. In fact, the general rule of viral infections is that your first time is your worst time, and that’s especially true if you’ve been vaccinated.\nCan you get COVID-19 twice in a month?\nWhile not likely, it’s possible to get COVID-19 twice within a 90-day period.\nAccording to the CDC\n, early reinfection within the first 90 days of initial infection is possible, though most reinfections occur after 90 days.\n“It is very unlikely that someone will get re-infected within the same month. However, we do see two situations where people think they are re-infected,” says Dr. Esper. “First, some people have persistent positive covid tests. This is due to the fact that covid testing is now so highly sensitive that they can detect residual particles of covid genes\/proteins even after the infection itself has gone.\nSecond, there are a small number of individuals who have a prolonged infection with COVID-19. We see this situation most often with people who have weakened immune systems. They can have a persistent infection with the same strain of covid for months.”\nNew strains can also completely replace an existing COVID-19 variant. If this happens, you can get infected with the new emergent strain soon after infection with the previous variant.\nIf you get COVID-19 twice, are the symptoms the same?\nSymptoms can be the same or different from one infection to the next and even between variants. Because of the wide array of symptoms associated with COVID-19 and its many variants, your symptoms can include a mix of any or all of the following:\nFever\n or chills.\nCough.\nShortness of breath or difficulty breathing.\nExtreme\nfatigue\nor prolonged tiredness.\nBrain fog\n.\nMuscle or body aches.\nHeadaches.\nNew loss of taste or smell.\nSore throat.\nCongestion or runny nose.\nNausea or vomiting\n.\nDiarrhea\n.\n“\nNot everyone gets sick the same way\n. In fact, you may feel differently even when you become infected with the same germ at different times during your life. This is because it’s not just the infecting organism that causes your symptoms but also your immune response,” says Dr. Esper. “Your immune system is constantly in flux, rising and recovering as it fights off numerous pathogens we experience daily. Symptoms and severity with infections may differ based on what state our immune system is in when the next infection occurs.”\nWho’s at risk of COVID-19 reinfection?\nBy now, we know that anyone can get COVID-19 — the vaccinated and unvaccinated, those who’ve had it already and those who haven’t. In the same vein, anyone can get COVID-19 again.\n“It’s important to note that we’re still learning a lot about reinfections and who’s at risk for those reinfections,” Dr. Esper states. But doctors do know that some people are at higher risk than others.\nReinfection in people who are unvaccinated\nThink you don’t need to get vaccinated because you’ve already had COVID-19? Think again. One\nstudy\nshows that unvaccinated people are 2.34 times more likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated — which drives home the importance of being vaccinated, even if you’ve already had the virus.\n“Reports indicate that vaccination provides longer protection than natural infection,” says Dr. Esper. “This virus can overcome a person’s host immunity and cause a second infection. Almost all the severe cases that we’re seeing right now are people who have not been vaccinated.”\nReinfection in people who are immunocompromised\nPeople with immune issues are at an even higher risk for COVID-19 reinfection than the general public, prompting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize booster shots of Pfizer-BioNTech’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines starting with\nimmunocompromised individuals\n.\n“We always knew that people with immune problems were more likely to have less of a response to the vaccine and more likely to get a second infection after they got the vaccine,” Dr. Esper says. Booster shots are designed to help reduce that likelihood.\nCOVID-19 vaccines work to decrease the seriousness of illness\nBreakthrough cases\n of COVID-19, including cases of reinfection in people who are vaccinated, aren’t a sign that the vaccine doesn’t work. Vaccines are designed to prevent an illness from reaching its worst stages should you get infected. You can think of vaccines a lot like wearing a coat of armor: Without it, you leave yourself exposed to any and all attacks at full force. With a vaccine, you’re giving your body the extra protection it needs.\n“There is a very coordinated and concise effort against vaccines, and those people want to amplify breakthrough infections as a reason not to get vaccinated,” Dr. Esper notes. “But the safety and benefit of getting vaccinated is very, very strong, and they far outweigh the risks of getting vaccinated, which are very, very small.”\nIn short? Vaccination is still critical. If you’re not yet vaccinated, now is the time to get it done — for your safety and for the safety of those around you.","attrs_markdown":"Locations:\n\n[Abu Dhabi](https:\/\/www.clevelandclinicabudhabi.ae\/)\\|[Canada](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/canada)\\|[Florida](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/florida)\\|[London](https:\/\/clevelandcliniclondon.uk\/)\\|[Nevada](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/locations\/nevada)\\|[Ohio](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/)\\|\n\n![Gray gradient](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/_next\/static\/media\/gray-gradient-left-16.59910877.svg?w=32&q=75)![Gray gradient](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/_next\/static\/media\/gray-gradient-right-32.dd7ce4e5.svg?w=64&q=75)\n\n- [Health Essentials](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/)\n- [Health Library](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health)\n- [Find a Provider](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/providers)\n- [Make an Appointment](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/patients\/information\/access)\n- [News](https:\/\/newsroom.clevelandclinic.org\/)\n- [Careers](https:\/\/jobs.clevelandclinic.org\/)\n- [Contact Us](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/contact-us)\n\n[![Cleveland Clinic logo](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/_next\/static\/media\/logo-ccf.1e52a22b.svg?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/)[![Cleveland Clinic icon](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/_next\/static\/media\/CCFLogo.000428c6.svg?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/)\n\n[![Health Essentials logo](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/_next\/static\/media\/HealthEssentials.b811bb06.svg?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/)\n\n![](https:\/\/zdbb.net\/l\/Dnl1wmWs8xCCpvWNCt9Egf\/?w=16&q=75)\n\n![Search Icon](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/_next\/static\/media\/search--green.d4218f47.svg?w=64&q=75)\n\nSearch\n\nAdvertisement\n\nAdvertisement\n\nJanuary 27, 2023\/[Health Conditions](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions)\/[Infectious Disease](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/infectious-disease)\n\n# Yes, You Can Get COVID-19 Twice (and Even More)\nDespite what you’ve heard or hoped, no one is 100% protected\n\n![person getting sick with covid twice](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/LargeFeatureImage\/8d197355-fabb-4383-930a-f138d1c6a6bf\/getCovidTwice1-1219183600-770x533-1_jpg)\n\n**Image content:** This image is available to view online.\n\nView image online (https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/8d197355-fabb-4383-930a-f138d1c6a6bf\/getCovidTwice1-1219183600-770x533-1\\_jpg)\n\nperson getting sick with covid twice\n\nYou made it through COVID-19 once and now you’re feeling invincible. Surely, you’re not going to get it again, right? Especially after you got vaccinated?\n\nAdvertisement\n\nCleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. [Policy](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/advertising)\n\nSorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that’s not exactly true. Experts say you’re not in the clear just because you’ve already contracted and recovered from the virus. Breakthrough cases are possible even in previously ill people who are fully vaccinated — and, if you’ve had COVID-19 already but are *not* vaccinated, you may be at an even higher risk of getting sick again.\n\nPediatric infectious disease specialist [Frank Esper, MD](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/staff\/22314-frank-esper?_ga=2.115050191.958318824.1606143668-1510721700.1590679053), answers your questions about COVID-19 reinfection, including how you can best protect yourself from getting the virus again.\n\n## Why you can get COVID-19 more than once\nYou can get [COVID-19](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21214-coronavirus-covid-19) more than once. In fact, doctors continue to see COVID-19 infections because [vaccine immunity decreases over time](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/covid-immunity), we’ve stopped being as careful as we once were and new variants are coming in stronger than previous waves of coronavirus.\n\n“You put all four of those things together, and it’s not too surprising that we’re seeing more and more people becoming infected multiple times,” says Dr. Esper.\n\nHere’s why those four facts matter:\n\n- **The pandemic has been happening for a while.** In early January 2023, the U.S. [surpassed](https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/covid\/) 101 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. “At this point, many of those infections happened months ago or more than a year ago,” Dr. Esper says. “The immunity from those initial infections begins to wane over time.”\n- **Vaccine immunity diminishes with time, too.** For Americans who got vaccinated as early as winter 2021, immunity may be starting to wane, as well. This is one reason why it’s critical to receive your third booster dose.\n- **We’ve stopped being as careful.** Gone are the early days of mass vigilance around safety precautions like [masking](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/a-comprehensive-guide-to-face-masks\/), handwashing and social distancing — all the things that initially kept the virus at bay.\n- **New variants are extra-contagious.** [COVID-19 variants](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/what-does-it-mean-that-the-coronavirus-is-mutating\/) are more infectious than the first wave of coronavirus. “These variants are able to overcome some of the existing immunity people developed via vaccination or a previous infection,” Dr. Esper states.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n### Are variants to blame for reinfections?\nThe U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) reports that the delta variant was at least twice as contagious as previous variants, and [omicron](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/omicron-covid-19-variant\/) was even more contagious than delta as the dominant variant in the U.S. in 2021. Now, doctors are preparing for a [new dominant strain XBB.1.5](https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#variant-proportions).\n\nBut you may be surprised to learn that the coronavirus actually doesn’t mutate nearly as much as [influenza](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/4335-influenza-flu), which changes nearly everything about its appearance from one year to the next. Rather, Dr. Esper says, it’s COVID-19’s contagiousness that makes it so, well, *contagious*.\n\n“This variant’s infectiousness — including its ability to evade immune systems and prevent long-lasting immunity for those people who are infected with it — is one of the reasons why it’s been able to persist and come back,” he explains.\n\n### How soon after a COVID-19 infection can you get it again?\nResearch on when you can be reinfected with COVID-19 is mixed. Some studies have suggested that after you’ve been infected with COVID-19, you may be protected from reinfection for [up to a year or more](https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/35904405\/). Others say immunity following recovery from COVID-19 [only lasts a few weeks](https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33589297\/), if even that.\n\nThe CDC says research is ongoing to better understand how soon people can be reinfected. The good news is that if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely to be less severe than your first time around. In fact, the general rule of viral infections is that your first time is your worst time, and that’s especially true if you’ve been vaccinated.\n\n#### Can you get COVID-19 twice in a month?\nWhile not likely, it’s possible to get COVID-19 twice within a 90-day period. [According to the CDC](https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-nCoV\/index.html), early reinfection within the first 90 days of initial infection is possible, though most reinfections occur after 90 days.\n\n“It is very unlikely that someone will get re-infected within the same month. However, we do see two situations where people think they are re-infected,” says Dr. Esper. “First, some people have persistent positive covid tests. This is due to the fact that covid testing is now so highly sensitive that they can detect residual particles of covid genes\/proteins even after the infection itself has gone.\n\nSecond, there are a small number of individuals who have a prolonged infection with COVID-19. We see this situation most often with people who have weakened immune systems. They can have a persistent infection with the same strain of covid for months.”\n\nNew strains can also completely replace an existing COVID-19 variant. If this happens, you can get infected with the new emergent strain soon after infection with the previous variant.\n\n### If you get COVID-19 twice, are the symptoms the same?\nSymptoms can be the same or different from one infection to the next and even between variants. Because of the wide array of symptoms associated with COVID-19 and its many variants, your symptoms can include a mix of any or all of the following:\n\nAdvertisement\n\n- [Fever](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/symptoms\/10880-fever) or chills.\n- Cough.\n- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.\n- Extreme [fatigue](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/symptoms\/21206-fatigue) or prolonged tiredness.\n- [Brain fog](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/brain-fog\/).\n- Muscle or body aches.\n- Headaches.\n- New loss of taste or smell.\n- Sore throat.\n- Congestion or runny nose.\n- [Nausea or vomiting](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/symptoms\/8106-nausea--vomiting).\n- [Diarrhea](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/4108-diarrhea).\n\n“[Not everyone gets sick the same way](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/asymptomatic-covid). In fact, you may feel differently even when you become infected with the same germ at different times during your life. This is because it’s not just the infecting organism that causes your symptoms but also your immune response,” says Dr. Esper. “Your immune system is constantly in flux, rising and recovering as it fights off numerous pathogens we experience daily. Symptoms and severity with infections may differ based on what state our immune system is in when the next infection occurs.”\n\n## Who’s at risk of COVID-19 reinfection?\nBy now, we know that anyone can get COVID-19 — the vaccinated and unvaccinated, those who’ve had it already and those who haven’t. In the same vein, anyone can get COVID-19 again.\n\n“It’s important to note that we’re still learning a lot about reinfections and who’s at risk for those reinfections,” Dr. Esper states. But doctors do know that some people are at higher risk than others.\n\n### Reinfection in people who are unvaccinated\nThink you don’t need to get vaccinated because you’ve already had COVID-19? Think again. One [study](https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/70\/wr\/mm7032e1.htm) shows that unvaccinated people are 2.34 times more likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated — which drives home the importance of being vaccinated, even if you’ve already had the virus.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n“Reports indicate that vaccination provides longer protection than natural infection,” says Dr. Esper. “This virus can overcome a person’s host immunity and cause a second infection. Almost all the severe cases that we’re seeing right now are people who have not been vaccinated.”\n\n### Reinfection in people who are immunocompromised\nPeople with immune issues are at an even higher risk for COVID-19 reinfection than the general public, prompting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize booster shots of Pfizer-BioNTech’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines starting with [immunocompromised individuals](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/can-immunocompromised-get-vaccines).\n\n“We always knew that people with immune problems were more likely to have less of a response to the vaccine and more likely to get a second infection after they got the vaccine,” Dr. Esper says. Booster shots are designed to help reduce that likelihood.\n\n## COVID-19 vaccines work to decrease the seriousness of illness\n[Breakthrough cases](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/breakthrough-covid-cases\/) of COVID-19, including cases of reinfection in people who are vaccinated, aren’t a sign that the vaccine doesn’t work. Vaccines are designed to prevent an illness from reaching its worst stages should you get infected. You can think of vaccines a lot like wearing a coat of armor: Without it, you leave yourself exposed to any and all attacks at full force. With a vaccine, you’re giving your body the extra protection it needs.\n\nAdvertisement\n\n“There is a very coordinated and concise effort against vaccines, and those people want to amplify breakthrough infections as a reason not to get vaccinated,” Dr. Esper notes. “But the safety and benefit of getting vaccinated is very, very strong, and they far outweigh the risks of getting vaccinated, which are very, very small.”\n\nIn short? Vaccination is still critical. If you’re not yet vaccinated, now is the time to get it done — for your safety and for the safety of those around you.\n\n[![Cleveland Clinic logo](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/_next\/static\/media\/logo-ccf.1e52a22b.svg?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/)[![Cleveland Clinic icon](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/_next\/static\/media\/CCFLogo.000428c6.svg?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/)\n\n[![Health Essentials logo](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/_next\/static\/media\/HealthEssentials.b811bb06.svg?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/)\n\n![Subscription icon](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/482db8cd-aa1e-45b5-a2a4-cf6aa5e5d2d4\/Health-Essentials?w=256&q=75)\n\n## Better health starts here\nSign up for our Health Essentials emails for expert guidance on nutrition, fitness, sleep, skin care and more.\n\n[Example email](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/2ff943a2-abb1-4a1c-8ede-f8848703e789\/HealthEssentials-SampleEmail-2026)[Sign up](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health-essentials-sign-up)\n\n[Sign up](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health-essentials-sign-up)[Example email](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/2ff943a2-abb1-4a1c-8ede-f8848703e789\/HealthEssentials-SampleEmail-2026)\n\nLearn more about our [editorial process](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/about\/website\/editorial-policy).\n\nHealth Library\n\nCOVID-19 (Coronavirus)\n\n[What Is COVID-19?](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#what-is-covid-19)\n\n[Symptoms and Causes](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#symptoms-and-causes)\n\n[Diagnosis and Tests](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#diagnosis-and-tests)\n\n[Management and Treatment](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#management-and-treatment)\n\n[Outlook \/ Prognosis](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#outlook-prognosis)\n\nHealth Library\n\nCOVID-19 (Coronavirus)\n\n[What Is COVID-19?](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#what-is-covid-19)\n\n[Symptoms and Causes](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#symptoms-and-causes)\n\n[Diagnosis and Tests](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#diagnosis-and-tests)\n\n[Management and Treatment](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#management-and-treatment)\n\n[Outlook \/ Prognosis](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#outlook-prognosis)\n\nAdvertisement\n\n## Related Articles\n[![Hand holding foot with COVID toe](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/0c689e28-c622-4c60-bcaa-76aeee89c137\/covid-toes-1250715080?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/covid-rashes)\n\nFebruary 5, 2026\/[Infectious Disease](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/infectious-disease)\n\n### [COVID Toes, COVID Rashes and Other Skin Complications: A Quick Guide](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/covid-rashes)\nhttps:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/covid-rashes\n\nChilblain-like skin lesions and rashes are mild (and rare) complications of many viral infections, not just COVID-19\n\n[![Fashionable older person blowing into a mug, looking out window](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/e0ba7442-cd5d-43f1-9c24-7862ab757401\/elder-drink-tea-look-out-window-sick-2230297803?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/covid-guidelines)\n\nOctober 3, 2025\/[Infectious Disease](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/infectious-disease)\n\n### [Understanding COVID-19 Guidelines](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/covid-guidelines)\nhttps:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/covid-guidelines\n\nMost can return to work or school when they’re symptom-free for 24 hours\n\n[![People showing COVID-19 prevention techniques, like washing hands, masking and getting vaccines](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/9b08d817-f203-4a57-b035-27e743e189ce\/covid19-prevention-1315609873?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/coronavirus-tips-prevention-and-safety-for-everyday-life)\n\nJune 30, 2025\/[Infectious Disease](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/infectious-disease)\n\n### [Coronavirus Tips: Prevention and Safety for Everyday Life](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/coronavirus-tips-prevention-and-safety-for-everyday-life)\nhttps:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/coronavirus-tips-prevention-and-safety-for-everyday-life\n\nCovering your mouth when you cough and staying home when you’re sick are a couple ways to help keep yourself and others COVID-free\n\n[![Vitamin D capsules backlit by sunlight](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/82cd452e-d5a4-4d13-bab5-1558b2a58ce4\/vitaminDcovid19b-1145207411-770x533-1_jpg?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/can-vitamin-d-prevent-covid-19)\n\nMay 13, 2025\/[Infectious Disease](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/infectious-disease)\n\n### [What To Know About Vitamin D and COVID-19](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/can-vitamin-d-prevent-covid-19)\nhttps:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/can-vitamin-d-prevent-covid-19\n\nThis vital nutrient supports your health, but its role in COVID-19 prevention and treatment isn’t proven\n\n[![Glass of water on table, with medicine bottle of purple capsules, and capsules on table](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/1e3393bf-e312-4ad0-952f-bdaa034966a1\/melatonin-2158208220?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/can-melatonin-help-treat-covid-19)\n\nNovember 27, 2024\/[Infectious Disease](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/infectious-disease)\n\n### [Can Melatonin Help Treat COVID-19?](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/can-melatonin-help-treat-covid-19)\nhttps:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/can-melatonin-help-treat-covid-19\n\nStudies have shown promising results, but additional research is needed\n\n[![Healthcare provider examining person's throat in office, with oversized germs around](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/adad54c1-c240-45fd-a693-ec5434cb9784\/thorat-checkup-patient-doctor-covid-1412852052-r?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/what-is-covid-19-voice-and-what-causes-it)\n\nNovember 21, 2024\/[Infectious Disease](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/infectious-disease)\n\n### [How Laryngitis and COVID-19 Can Impact Your Voice](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/what-is-covid-19-voice-and-what-causes-it)\nhttps:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/what-is-covid-19-voice-and-what-causes-it\n\nInfection and inflammation can cause you to lose your voice and have other voice changes until you’re fully healed\n\n[![Person lying stomach down on bed, head on crossed arms, staring into the distance](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/7c625131-6eaf-4b1b-8f58-e0b9f402ae86\/depressedPerson-1421877961?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/the-link-between-covid-and-depression)\n\nNovember 18, 2024\/[Cold, Flu & Respiratory Illnesses](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/cold-flu-respiratory-illnesses)\n\n### [Having COVID-19 May Increase Your Risk of Depression](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/the-link-between-covid-and-depression)\nhttps:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/the-link-between-covid-and-depression\n\nA COVID-19 infection can bring on depression or anxiety months after physical symptoms go away\n\n[![Person in mask and medical coveralls handling COVID-19 vials with gloved hands](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/b426f571-6d27-4780-8378-ddf89076ed16\/scientist-testing-1214032243?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/what-does-it-mean-that-the-coronavirus-is-mutating)\n\nNovember 14, 2024\/[Infectious Disease](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/infectious-disease)\n\n### [COVID-19 Variants: What’s New and Why We’re Still Concerned](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/what-does-it-mean-that-the-coronavirus-is-mutating)\nhttps:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/what-does-it-mean-that-the-coronavirus-is-mutating\n\nJust like the flu, COVID-19 continues to evolve every year with new and smarter variants\n\n## Trending Topics\n[![Person walking outdoors, looking at smartphone](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/c10f2c1c-3976-499f-b183-d6facbc668eb\/california-sober-1133287692?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/what-is-cali-sober)\n\n[Mental Health](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/mental-health)\n\n### [What Does It Mean To Be ‘California Sober’?](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/what-is-cali-sober)\nhttps:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/what-is-cali-sober\n\nThis ‘harm reduction’ approach to sobriety involves subbing one substance for another — a method that isn’t backed by research\n\n[![Caregiver applying makeup to smiling teen](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/d46853f3-4bcf-483b-a969-21e217e1d467\/mom-and-teen-makeup-fun-2253970391?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/does-your-child-want-to-wear-makeup-5-things-you-should-know)\n\n[Children’s Health](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/childrens-health)\n\n### [Is It OK for Your Kid To Wear Makeup? 5 Things To Consider](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/does-your-child-want-to-wear-makeup-5-things-you-should-know)\nhttps:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/does-your-child-want-to-wear-makeup-5-things-you-should-know\n\nEducate your child about body image, expectations and skin care first\n\n[![Person in long-sleeve swimwear, scratching at their itchy wrist](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/f861debb-bad0-4b41-a55d-e23757918e2b\/chlorine-reaction-pool-1521871387?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/chlorine-rash)\n\n[Skin Care & Beauty](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/skin-care-beauty)\n\n### [Is That a Chlorine Rash? What Your Skin Is Telling You](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/chlorine-rash)\nhttps:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/chlorine-rash\n\nA true chlorine allergy is extremely rare — it’s far more likely that you have a damaged skin barrier\n\n## Health Categories To Explore\n[![Brain & Nervous System Icon](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/a1fee7a1-b531-4bb5-83f8-2ace3380adeb\/icon-Brain-and-Nervous-System?w=128&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/brain-nervous-system)[Brain & Nervous System](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/brain-nervous-system)\n\n[![Children's Health Icon](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/03fb80e3-5678-49ca-bc45-2a9c89ce8b44\/icon-Childrens-Health?w=128&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/childrens-health)[Children’s Health](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/childrens-health)\n\n[![Exercise & Fitness Icon](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/9b53a14f-4ea0-42f6-bcd7-ad4296165115\/icon-Exercise-and-Fitness?w=128&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/diet-food-fitness\/exercise-fitness)[Exercise & Fitness](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/diet-food-fitness\/exercise-fitness)\n\n[![Heart Health Icon](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/317a9fd3-ba2c-4be2-a62d-6c975f3e34bc\/icon-Heart-Health?w=128&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/heart-health)[Heart Health](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/heart-health)\n\n[![Men's Health Icon](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/6ed57815-f52e-414d-9365-8e9de2652dad\/icon-Mens-Health?w=128&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/mens-health)[Men’s Health](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/mens-health)\n\n[![Mental Health Icon](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/18ae6927-4315-4483-ba6c-6110bc55adeb\/icon-Mental-Health?w=128&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/mental-health)[Mental Health](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/mental-health)\n\n[![Nutrition Icon](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/4a145348-0fa2-410f-9c8d-d7e349ef85e3\/icon-Nutrition?w=128&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/diet-food-fitness\/nutrition)[Nutrition](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/diet-food-fitness\/nutrition)\n\n[![Orthopaedics icon](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/58879694-6694-467f-b5b4-f00c3b2d31cd\/icon-Orthopaedics?w=128&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/orthopaedics)[Orthopaedics](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/orthopaedics)\n\n[![Primary Care Icon](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/d7cc1738-82a9-4276-a77d-39ffbab8dea4\/icon-Primary-Care?w=128&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/primary-care)[Primary Care](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/primary-care)\n\n[![Skincare & beauty icon](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/67b83514-1b4b-491f-91c9-f5e7b0f33908\/icon-Skin-Care-Beauty?w=128&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/skin-care-beauty)[Skin Care & Beauty](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/skin-care-beauty)\n\n[![Wellness Icon](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/9a1f6d33-6953-4a1a-9ca1-5bbd42bbe347\/icon-Wellness?w=128&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/wellness)[Wellness](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/wellness)\n\n[![Women's Health Icon](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/5dce7def-dda0-4421-9205-be0cf83bc800\/icon-Womens-Health?w=128&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/womens-health)[Women’s Health](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/womens-health)\n\n### Other Popular Categories\n[Aging Well](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/aging-well)[Allergies](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/allergies)[Cancer Care & Prevention](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/cancer-care-prevention)[Chronic Pain](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/chronic-pain)[Cold, Flu & Respiratory Illnesses](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/cold-flu-respiratory-illnesses)[Diabetes & Endocrinology](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/diabetes-endocrinology)[Digestive](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/digestive-health)[Ear, Nose & Throat](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/ear-nose-throat)[Eye Care](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/eye-care)[Infectious Disease](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/infectious-disease)[Lung](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/lung-health)[Oral Health](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/oral-health)[Parenting](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/parenting-category)[Pregnancy & Childbirth](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/pregnancy-childbirth)[Recipes](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/diet-food-fitness\/recipes)[Rheumatology & Immunology](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/rheumatology-immunology)[Senior Health](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/senior-health)[Sex & Relationships](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/sex-relationships)[Sleep](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/sleep)[Urinary & Kidney Health](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/urinary-kidney-health)[Weight Loss](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/diet-food-fitness\/weight-loss)\n\nAd\n\nRendered: Mon Apr 13 2026 19:39:27 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)\n\n#### Cleveland Clinic\n[Home](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/)[About Cleveland Clinic](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/about)[Careers at Cleveland Clinic](https:\/\/jobs.clevelandclinic.org\/)[Giving](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/giving)[Community Outreach](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/about\/community\/government-relations)[Research & Innovations](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/research)[Health Library](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health)[Free Health 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All Rights Reserved.","attrs_readable_markdown":"You made it through COVID-19 once and now you’re feeling invincible. Surely, you’re not going to get it again, right? Especially after you got vaccinated?\n\nSorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that’s not exactly true. Experts say you’re not in the clear just because you’ve already contracted and recovered from the virus. Breakthrough cases are possible even in previously ill people who are fully vaccinated — and, if you’ve had COVID-19 already but are *not* vaccinated, you may be at an even higher risk of getting sick again.\n\nPediatric infectious disease specialist [Frank Esper, MD](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/staff\/22314-frank-esper?_ga=2.115050191.958318824.1606143668-1510721700.1590679053), answers your questions about COVID-19 reinfection, including how you can best protect yourself from getting the virus again.\n\n## Why you can get COVID-19 more than once\nYou can get [COVID-19](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21214-coronavirus-covid-19) more than once. In fact, doctors continue to see COVID-19 infections because [vaccine immunity decreases over time](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/covid-immunity), we’ve stopped being as careful as we once were and new variants are coming in stronger than previous waves of coronavirus.\n\n“You put all four of those things together, and it’s not too surprising that we’re seeing more and more people becoming infected multiple times,” says Dr. Esper.\n\nHere’s why those four facts matter:\n\n- **The pandemic has been happening for a while.** In early January 2023, the U.S. [surpassed](https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/covid\/) 101 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. “At this point, many of those infections happened months ago or more than a year ago,” Dr. Esper says. “The immunity from those initial infections begins to wane over time.”\n- **Vaccine immunity diminishes with time, too.** For Americans who got vaccinated as early as winter 2021, immunity may be starting to wane, as well. This is one reason why it’s critical to receive your third booster dose.\n- **We’ve stopped being as careful.** Gone are the early days of mass vigilance around safety precautions like [masking](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/a-comprehensive-guide-to-face-masks\/), handwashing and social distancing — all the things that initially kept the virus at bay.\n- **New variants are extra-contagious.** [COVID-19 variants](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/what-does-it-mean-that-the-coronavirus-is-mutating\/) are more infectious than the first wave of coronavirus. “These variants are able to overcome some of the existing immunity people developed via vaccination or a previous infection,” Dr. Esper states.\n### Are variants to blame for reinfections?\nThe U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) reports that the delta variant was at least twice as contagious as previous variants, and [omicron](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/omicron-covid-19-variant\/) was even more contagious than delta as the dominant variant in the U.S. in 2021. Now, doctors are preparing for a [new dominant strain XBB.1.5](https:\/\/covid.cdc.gov\/covid-data-tracker\/#variant-proportions).\n\nBut you may be surprised to learn that the coronavirus actually doesn’t mutate nearly as much as [influenza](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/4335-influenza-flu), which changes nearly everything about its appearance from one year to the next. Rather, Dr. Esper says, it’s COVID-19’s contagiousness that makes it so, well, *contagious*.\n\n“This variant’s infectiousness — including its ability to evade immune systems and prevent long-lasting immunity for those people who are infected with it — is one of the reasons why it’s been able to persist and come back,” he explains.\n\n### How soon after a COVID-19 infection can you get it again?\nResearch on when you can be reinfected with COVID-19 is mixed. Some studies have suggested that after you’ve been infected with COVID-19, you may be protected from reinfection for [up to a year or more](https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/35904405\/). Others say immunity following recovery from COVID-19 [only lasts a few weeks](https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33589297\/), if even that.\n\nThe CDC says research is ongoing to better understand how soon people can be reinfected. The good news is that if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely to be less severe than your first time around. In fact, the general rule of viral infections is that your first time is your worst time, and that’s especially true if you’ve been vaccinated.\n\n#### Can you get COVID-19 twice in a month?\nWhile not likely, it’s possible to get COVID-19 twice within a 90-day period. [According to the CDC](https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/coronavirus\/2019-nCoV\/index.html), early reinfection within the first 90 days of initial infection is possible, though most reinfections occur after 90 days.\n\n“It is very unlikely that someone will get re-infected within the same month. However, we do see two situations where people think they are re-infected,” says Dr. Esper. “First, some people have persistent positive covid tests. This is due to the fact that covid testing is now so highly sensitive that they can detect residual particles of covid genes\/proteins even after the infection itself has gone.\n\nSecond, there are a small number of individuals who have a prolonged infection with COVID-19. We see this situation most often with people who have weakened immune systems. They can have a persistent infection with the same strain of covid for months.”\n\nNew strains can also completely replace an existing COVID-19 variant. If this happens, you can get infected with the new emergent strain soon after infection with the previous variant.\n\n### If you get COVID-19 twice, are the symptoms the same?\nSymptoms can be the same or different from one infection to the next and even between variants. Because of the wide array of symptoms associated with COVID-19 and its many variants, your symptoms can include a mix of any or all of the following:\n\n- [Fever](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/symptoms\/10880-fever) or chills.\n- Cough.\n- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.\n- Extreme [fatigue](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/symptoms\/21206-fatigue) or prolonged tiredness.\n- [Brain fog](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/brain-fog\/).\n- Muscle or body aches.\n- Headaches.\n- New loss of taste or smell.\n- Sore throat.\n- Congestion or runny nose.\n- [Nausea or vomiting](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/symptoms\/8106-nausea--vomiting).\n- [Diarrhea](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/4108-diarrhea).\n\n“[Not everyone gets sick the same way](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/asymptomatic-covid). In fact, you may feel differently even when you become infected with the same germ at different times during your life. This is because it’s not just the infecting organism that causes your symptoms but also your immune response,” says Dr. Esper. “Your immune system is constantly in flux, rising and recovering as it fights off numerous pathogens we experience daily. Symptoms and severity with infections may differ based on what state our immune system is in when the next infection occurs.”\n\n## Who’s at risk of COVID-19 reinfection?\nBy now, we know that anyone can get COVID-19 — the vaccinated and unvaccinated, those who’ve had it already and those who haven’t. In the same vein, anyone can get COVID-19 again.\n\n“It’s important to note that we’re still learning a lot about reinfections and who’s at risk for those reinfections,” Dr. Esper states. But doctors do know that some people are at higher risk than others.\n\n### Reinfection in people who are unvaccinated\nThink you don’t need to get vaccinated because you’ve already had COVID-19? Think again. One [study](https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/mmwr\/volumes\/70\/wr\/mm7032e1.htm) shows that unvaccinated people are 2.34 times more likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated — which drives home the importance of being vaccinated, even if you’ve already had the virus.\n\n“Reports indicate that vaccination provides longer protection than natural infection,” says Dr. Esper. “This virus can overcome a person’s host immunity and cause a second infection. Almost all the severe cases that we’re seeing right now are people who have not been vaccinated.”\n\n### Reinfection in people who are immunocompromised\nPeople with immune issues are at an even higher risk for COVID-19 reinfection than the general public, prompting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize booster shots of Pfizer-BioNTech’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines starting with [immunocompromised individuals](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/can-immunocompromised-get-vaccines).\n\n“We always knew that people with immune problems were more likely to have less of a response to the vaccine and more likely to get a second infection after they got the vaccine,” Dr. Esper says. Booster shots are designed to help reduce that likelihood.\n\n## COVID-19 vaccines work to decrease the seriousness of illness\n[Breakthrough cases](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/breakthrough-covid-cases\/) of COVID-19, including cases of reinfection in people who are vaccinated, aren’t a sign that the vaccine doesn’t work. Vaccines are designed to prevent an illness from reaching its worst stages should you get infected. You can think of vaccines a lot like wearing a coat of armor: Without it, you leave yourself exposed to any and all attacks at full force. With a vaccine, you’re giving your body the extra protection it needs.\n\n“There is a very coordinated and concise effort against vaccines, and those people want to amplify breakthrough infections as a reason not to get vaccinated,” Dr. Esper notes. “But the safety and benefit of getting vaccinated is very, very strong, and they far outweigh the risks of getting vaccinated, which are very, very small.”\n\nIn short? Vaccination is still critical. If you’re not yet vaccinated, now is the time to get it done — for your safety and for the safety of those around you.","meta_canonical":null}

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URL	https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-you-get-covid-19-more-than-once
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Meta Title	Can You Get COVID-19 Twice?
Meta Description	Experts say you’re not in the clear just because you’ve already contracted and recovered from the virus. You can get it more than once.
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Boilerpipe Text	You made it through COVID-19 once and now you’re feeling invincible. Surely, you’re not going to get it again, right? Especially after you got vaccinated? Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that’s not exactly true. Experts say you’re not in the clear just because you’ve already contracted and recovered from the virus. Breakthrough cases are possible even in previously ill people who are fully vaccinated — and, if you’ve had COVID-19 already but are not vaccinated, you may be at an even higher risk of getting sick again. Pediatric infectious disease specialist Frank Esper, MD , answers your questions about COVID-19 reinfection, including how you can best protect yourself from getting the virus again. Why you can get COVID-19 more than once You can get COVID-19 more than once. In fact, doctors continue to see COVID-19 infections because vaccine immunity decreases over time , we’ve stopped being as careful as we once were and new variants are coming in stronger than previous waves of coronavirus. “You put all four of those things together, and it’s not too surprising that we’re seeing more and more people becoming infected multiple times,” says Dr. Esper. Here’s why those four facts matter: The pandemic has been happening for a while. In early January 2023, the U.S. surpassed 101 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. “At this point, many of those infections happened months ago or more than a year ago,” Dr. Esper says. “The immunity from those initial infections begins to wane over time.” Vaccine immunity diminishes with time, too. For Americans who got vaccinated as early as winter 2021, immunity may be starting to wane, as well. This is one reason why it’s critical to receive your third booster dose. We’ve stopped being as careful. Gone are the early days of mass vigilance around safety precautions like masking , handwashing and social distancing — all the things that initially kept the virus at bay. New variants are extra-contagious. COVID-19 variants are more infectious than the first wave of coronavirus. “These variants are able to overcome some of the existing immunity people developed via vaccination or a previous infection,” Dr. Esper states. Are variants to blame for reinfections? The U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) reports that the delta variant was at least twice as contagious as previous variants, and omicron was even more contagious than delta as the dominant variant in the U.S. in 2021. Now, doctors are preparing for a new dominant strain XBB.1.5 . But you may be surprised to learn that the coronavirus actually doesn’t mutate nearly as much as influenza , which changes nearly everything about its appearance from one year to the next. Rather, Dr. Esper says, it’s COVID-19’s contagiousness that makes it so, well, contagious . “This variant’s infectiousness — including its ability to evade immune systems and prevent long-lasting immunity for those people who are infected with it — is one of the reasons why it’s been able to persist and come back,” he explains. How soon after a COVID-19 infection can you get it again? Research on when you can be reinfected with COVID-19 is mixed. Some studies have suggested that after you’ve been infected with COVID-19, you may be protected from reinfection for up to a year or more . Others say immunity following recovery from COVID-19 only lasts a few weeks , if even that. The CDC says research is ongoing to better understand how soon people can be reinfected. The good news is that if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely to be less severe than your first time around. In fact, the general rule of viral infections is that your first time is your worst time, and that’s especially true if you’ve been vaccinated. Can you get COVID-19 twice in a month? While not likely, it’s possible to get COVID-19 twice within a 90-day period. According to the CDC , early reinfection within the first 90 days of initial infection is possible, though most reinfections occur after 90 days. “It is very unlikely that someone will get re-infected within the same month. However, we do see two situations where people think they are re-infected,” says Dr. Esper. “First, some people have persistent positive covid tests. This is due to the fact that covid testing is now so highly sensitive that they can detect residual particles of covid genes/proteins even after the infection itself has gone. Second, there are a small number of individuals who have a prolonged infection with COVID-19. We see this situation most often with people who have weakened immune systems. They can have a persistent infection with the same strain of covid for months.” New strains can also completely replace an existing COVID-19 variant. If this happens, you can get infected with the new emergent strain soon after infection with the previous variant. If you get COVID-19 twice, are the symptoms the same? Symptoms can be the same or different from one infection to the next and even between variants. Because of the wide array of symptoms associated with COVID-19 and its many variants, your symptoms can include a mix of any or all of the following: Fever or chills. Cough. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. Extreme fatigue or prolonged tiredness. Brain fog . Muscle or body aches. Headaches. New loss of taste or smell. Sore throat. Congestion or runny nose. Nausea or vomiting . Diarrhea . “ Not everyone gets sick the same way . In fact, you may feel differently even when you become infected with the same germ at different times during your life. This is because it’s not just the infecting organism that causes your symptoms but also your immune response,” says Dr. Esper. “Your immune system is constantly in flux, rising and recovering as it fights off numerous pathogens we experience daily. Symptoms and severity with infections may differ based on what state our immune system is in when the next infection occurs.” Who’s at risk of COVID-19 reinfection? By now, we know that anyone can get COVID-19 — the vaccinated and unvaccinated, those who’ve had it already and those who haven’t. In the same vein, anyone can get COVID-19 again. “It’s important to note that we’re still learning a lot about reinfections and who’s at risk for those reinfections,” Dr. Esper states. But doctors do know that some people are at higher risk than others. Reinfection in people who are unvaccinated Think you don’t need to get vaccinated because you’ve already had COVID-19? Think again. One study shows that unvaccinated people are 2.34 times more likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated — which drives home the importance of being vaccinated, even if you’ve already had the virus. “Reports indicate that vaccination provides longer protection than natural infection,” says Dr. Esper. “This virus can overcome a person’s host immunity and cause a second infection. Almost all the severe cases that we’re seeing right now are people who have not been vaccinated.” Reinfection in people who are immunocompromised People with immune issues are at an even higher risk for COVID-19 reinfection than the general public, prompting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize booster shots of Pfizer-BioNTech’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines starting with immunocompromised individuals . “We always knew that people with immune problems were more likely to have less of a response to the vaccine and more likely to get a second infection after they got the vaccine,” Dr. Esper says. Booster shots are designed to help reduce that likelihood. COVID-19 vaccines work to decrease the seriousness of illness Breakthrough cases of COVID-19, including cases of reinfection in people who are vaccinated, aren’t a sign that the vaccine doesn’t work. Vaccines are designed to prevent an illness from reaching its worst stages should you get infected. You can think of vaccines a lot like wearing a coat of armor: Without it, you leave yourself exposed to any and all attacks at full force. With a vaccine, you’re giving your body the extra protection it needs. “There is a very coordinated and concise effort against vaccines, and those people want to amplify breakthrough infections as a reason not to get vaccinated,” Dr. Esper notes. “But the safety and benefit of getting vaccinated is very, very strong, and they far outweigh the risks of getting vaccinated, which are very, very small.” In short? Vaccination is still critical. If you’re not yet vaccinated, now is the time to get it done — for your safety and for the safety of those around you.
Markdown	Locations: [Abu Dhabi](https://www.clevelandclinicabudhabi.ae/)\\|[Canada](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/canada)\\|[Florida](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/florida)\\|[London](https://clevelandcliniclondon.uk/)\\|[Nevada](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/locations/nevada)\\|[Ohio](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/)\\| ![Gray gradient](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/_next/static/media/gray-gradient-left-16.59910877.svg?w=32&q=75)![Gray gradient](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/_next/static/media/gray-gradient-right-32.dd7ce4e5.svg?w=64&q=75) - [Health Essentials](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/) - [Health Library](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health) - [Find a Provider](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/providers) - [Make an Appointment](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/patients/information/access) - [News](https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/) - [Careers](https://jobs.clevelandclinic.org/) - [Contact Us](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/contact-us) [![Cleveland Clinic logo](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/_next/static/media/logo-ccf.1e52a22b.svg?w=3840&q=75)](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/)[![Cleveland Clinic icon](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/_next/static/media/CCFLogo.000428c6.svg?w=3840&q=75)](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/) [![Health Essentials logo](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/_next/static/media/HealthEssentials.b811bb06.svg?w=3840&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/) ![](https://zdbb.net/l/Dnl1wmWs8xCCpvWNCt9Egf/?w=16&q=75) ![Search Icon](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/_next/static/media/search--green.d4218f47.svg?w=64&q=75) Search Advertisement Advertisement January 27, 2023/[Health Conditions](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-conditions)/[Infectious Disease](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-conditions/infectious-disease) # Yes, You Can Get COVID-19 Twice (and Even More) Despite what you’ve heard or hoped, no one is 100% protected ![person getting sick with covid twice](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/LargeFeatureImage/8d197355-fabb-4383-930a-f138d1c6a6bf/getCovidTwice1-1219183600-770x533-1_jpg) Image content: This image is available to view online. View image online (https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/8d197355-fabb-4383-930a-f138d1c6a6bf/getCovidTwice1-1219183600-770x533-1\_jpg) person getting sick with covid twice You made it through COVID-19 once and now you’re feeling invincible. Surely, you’re not going to get it again, right? Especially after you got vaccinated? Advertisement Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. [Policy](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/advertising) Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that’s not exactly true. Experts say you’re not in the clear just because you’ve already contracted and recovered from the virus. Breakthrough cases are possible even in previously ill people who are fully vaccinated — and, if you’ve had COVID-19 already but are not vaccinated, you may be at an even higher risk of getting sick again. Pediatric infectious disease specialist [Frank Esper, MD](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff/22314-frank-esper?_ga=2.115050191.958318824.1606143668-1510721700.1590679053), answers your questions about COVID-19 reinfection, including how you can best protect yourself from getting the virus again. ## Why you can get COVID-19 more than once You can get [COVID-19](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21214-coronavirus-covid-19) more than once. In fact, doctors continue to see COVID-19 infections because [vaccine immunity decreases over time](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/covid-immunity), we’ve stopped being as careful as we once were and new variants are coming in stronger than previous waves of coronavirus. “You put all four of those things together, and it’s not too surprising that we’re seeing more and more people becoming infected multiple times,” says Dr. Esper. Here’s why those four facts matter: - The pandemic has been happening for a while. In early January 2023, the U.S. [surpassed](https://www.cdc.gov/covid/) 101 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. “At this point, many of those infections happened months ago or more than a year ago,” Dr. Esper says. “The immunity from those initial infections begins to wane over time.” - Vaccine immunity diminishes with time, too. For Americans who got vaccinated as early as winter 2021, immunity may be starting to wane, as well. This is one reason why it’s critical to receive your third booster dose. - We’ve stopped being as careful. Gone are the early days of mass vigilance around safety precautions like [masking](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/a-comprehensive-guide-to-face-masks/), handwashing and social distancing — all the things that initially kept the virus at bay. - New variants are extra-contagious. [COVID-19 variants](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-does-it-mean-that-the-coronavirus-is-mutating/) are more infectious than the first wave of coronavirus. “These variants are able to overcome some of the existing immunity people developed via vaccination or a previous infection,” Dr. Esper states. Advertisement ### Are variants to blame for reinfections? The U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) reports that the delta variant was at least twice as contagious as previous variants, and [omicron](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/omicron-covid-19-variant/) was even more contagious than delta as the dominant variant in the U.S. in 2021. Now, doctors are preparing for a [new dominant strain XBB.1.5](https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions). But you may be surprised to learn that the coronavirus actually doesn’t mutate nearly as much as [influenza](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4335-influenza-flu), which changes nearly everything about its appearance from one year to the next. Rather, Dr. Esper says, it’s COVID-19’s contagiousness that makes it so, well, contagious. “This variant’s infectiousness — including its ability to evade immune systems and prevent long-lasting immunity for those people who are infected with it — is one of the reasons why it’s been able to persist and come back,” he explains. ### How soon after a COVID-19 infection can you get it again? Research on when you can be reinfected with COVID-19 is mixed. Some studies have suggested that after you’ve been infected with COVID-19, you may be protected from reinfection for [up to a year or more](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35904405/). Others say immunity following recovery from COVID-19 [only lasts a few weeks](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33589297/), if even that. The CDC says research is ongoing to better understand how soon people can be reinfected. The good news is that if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely to be less severe than your first time around. In fact, the general rule of viral infections is that your first time is your worst time, and that’s especially true if you’ve been vaccinated. #### Can you get COVID-19 twice in a month? While not likely, it’s possible to get COVID-19 twice within a 90-day period. [According to the CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html), early reinfection within the first 90 days of initial infection is possible, though most reinfections occur after 90 days. “It is very unlikely that someone will get re-infected within the same month. However, we do see two situations where people think they are re-infected,” says Dr. Esper. “First, some people have persistent positive covid tests. This is due to the fact that covid testing is now so highly sensitive that they can detect residual particles of covid genes/proteins even after the infection itself has gone. Second, there are a small number of individuals who have a prolonged infection with COVID-19. We see this situation most often with people who have weakened immune systems. They can have a persistent infection with the same strain of covid for months.” New strains can also completely replace an existing COVID-19 variant. If this happens, you can get infected with the new emergent strain soon after infection with the previous variant. ### If you get COVID-19 twice, are the symptoms the same? Symptoms can be the same or different from one infection to the next and even between variants. Because of the wide array of symptoms associated with COVID-19 and its many variants, your symptoms can include a mix of any or all of the following: Advertisement - [Fever](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/10880-fever) or chills. - Cough. - Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. - Extreme [fatigue](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21206-fatigue) or prolonged tiredness. - [Brain fog](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/brain-fog/). - Muscle or body aches. - Headaches. - New loss of taste or smell. - Sore throat. - Congestion or runny nose. - [Nausea or vomiting](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/8106-nausea--vomiting). - [Diarrhea](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4108-diarrhea). “[Not everyone gets sick the same way](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/asymptomatic-covid). In fact, you may feel differently even when you become infected with the same germ at different times during your life. This is because it’s not just the infecting organism that causes your symptoms but also your immune response,” says Dr. Esper. “Your immune system is constantly in flux, rising and recovering as it fights off numerous pathogens we experience daily. Symptoms and severity with infections may differ based on what state our immune system is in when the next infection occurs.” ## Who’s at risk of COVID-19 reinfection? By now, we know that anyone can get COVID-19 — the vaccinated and unvaccinated, those who’ve had it already and those who haven’t. In the same vein, anyone can get COVID-19 again. “It’s important to note that we’re still learning a lot about reinfections and who’s at risk for those reinfections,” Dr. Esper states. But doctors do know that some people are at higher risk than others. ### Reinfection in people who are unvaccinated Think you don’t need to get vaccinated because you’ve already had COVID-19? Think again. One [study](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7032e1.htm) shows that unvaccinated people are 2.34 times more likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated — which drives home the importance of being vaccinated, even if you’ve already had the virus. Advertisement “Reports indicate that vaccination provides longer protection than natural infection,” says Dr. Esper. “This virus can overcome a person’s host immunity and cause a second infection. Almost all the severe cases that we’re seeing right now are people who have not been vaccinated.” ### Reinfection in people who are immunocompromised People with immune issues are at an even higher risk for COVID-19 reinfection than the general public, prompting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize booster shots of Pfizer-BioNTech’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines starting with [immunocompromised individuals](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-immunocompromised-get-vaccines). “We always knew that people with immune problems were more likely to have less of a response to the vaccine and more likely to get a second infection after they got the vaccine,” Dr. Esper says. Booster shots are designed to help reduce that likelihood. ## COVID-19 vaccines work to decrease the seriousness of illness [Breakthrough cases](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/breakthrough-covid-cases/) of COVID-19, including cases of reinfection in people who are vaccinated, aren’t a sign that the vaccine doesn’t work. Vaccines are designed to prevent an illness from reaching its worst stages should you get infected. You can think of vaccines a lot like wearing a coat of armor: Without it, you leave yourself exposed to any and all attacks at full force. With a vaccine, you’re giving your body the extra protection it needs. Advertisement “There is a very coordinated and concise effort against vaccines, and those people want to amplify breakthrough infections as a reason not to get vaccinated,” Dr. Esper notes. “But the safety and benefit of getting vaccinated is very, very strong, and they far outweigh the risks of getting vaccinated, which are very, very small.” In short? Vaccination is still critical. If you’re not yet vaccinated, now is the time to get it done — for your safety and for the safety of those around you. [![Cleveland Clinic logo](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/_next/static/media/logo-ccf.1e52a22b.svg?w=3840&q=75)](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/)[![Cleveland Clinic icon](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/_next/static/media/CCFLogo.000428c6.svg?w=3840&q=75)](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/) [![Health Essentials logo](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/_next/static/media/HealthEssentials.b811bb06.svg?w=3840&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/) ![Subscription icon](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/482db8cd-aa1e-45b5-a2a4-cf6aa5e5d2d4/Health-Essentials?w=256&q=75) ## Better health starts here Sign up for our Health Essentials emails for expert guidance on nutrition, fitness, sleep, skin care and more. [Example email](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/2ff943a2-abb1-4a1c-8ede-f8848703e789/HealthEssentials-SampleEmail-2026)[Sign up](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health-essentials-sign-up) [Sign up](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health-essentials-sign-up)[Example email](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/2ff943a2-abb1-4a1c-8ede-f8848703e789/HealthEssentials-SampleEmail-2026) Learn more about our [editorial process](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/about/website/editorial-policy). Health Library COVID-19 (Coronavirus) [What Is COVID-19?](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#what-is-covid-19) [Symptoms and Causes](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#symptoms-and-causes) [Diagnosis and Tests](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#diagnosis-and-tests) [Management and Treatment](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#management-and-treatment) [Outlook / Prognosis](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#outlook-prognosis) Health Library COVID-19 (Coronavirus) [What Is COVID-19?](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#what-is-covid-19) [Symptoms and Causes](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#symptoms-and-causes) [Diagnosis and Tests](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#diagnosis-and-tests) [Management and Treatment](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#management-and-treatment) [Outlook / Prognosis](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#outlook-prognosis) Advertisement ## Related Articles [![Hand holding foot with COVID toe](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/StoryPanel/0c689e28-c622-4c60-bcaa-76aeee89c137/covid-toes-1250715080?w=3840&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/covid-rashes) February 5, 2026/[Infectious Disease](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-conditions/infectious-disease) ### [COVID Toes, COVID Rashes and Other Skin Complications: A Quick Guide](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/covid-rashes) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/covid-rashes Chilblain-like skin lesions and rashes are mild (and rare) complications of many viral infections, not just COVID-19 [![Fashionable older person blowing into a mug, looking out window](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/StoryPanel/e0ba7442-cd5d-43f1-9c24-7862ab757401/elder-drink-tea-look-out-window-sick-2230297803?w=3840&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/covid-guidelines) October 3, 2025/[Infectious Disease](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-conditions/infectious-disease) ### [Understanding COVID-19 Guidelines](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/covid-guidelines) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/covid-guidelines Most can return to work or school when they’re symptom-free for 24 hours [![People showing COVID-19 prevention techniques, like washing hands, masking and getting vaccines](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/StoryPanel/9b08d817-f203-4a57-b035-27e743e189ce/covid19-prevention-1315609873?w=3840&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/coronavirus-tips-prevention-and-safety-for-everyday-life) June 30, 2025/[Infectious Disease](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-conditions/infectious-disease) ### [Coronavirus Tips: Prevention and Safety for Everyday Life](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/coronavirus-tips-prevention-and-safety-for-everyday-life) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/coronavirus-tips-prevention-and-safety-for-everyday-life Covering your mouth when you cough and staying home when you’re sick are a couple ways to help keep yourself and others COVID-free [![Vitamin D capsules backlit by sunlight](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/StoryPanel/82cd452e-d5a4-4d13-bab5-1558b2a58ce4/vitaminDcovid19b-1145207411-770x533-1_jpg?w=3840&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-vitamin-d-prevent-covid-19) May 13, 2025/[Infectious Disease](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-conditions/infectious-disease) ### [What To Know About Vitamin D and COVID-19](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-vitamin-d-prevent-covid-19) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-vitamin-d-prevent-covid-19 This vital nutrient supports your health, but its role in COVID-19 prevention and treatment isn’t proven [![Glass of water on table, with medicine bottle of purple capsules, and capsules on table](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/StoryPanel/1e3393bf-e312-4ad0-952f-bdaa034966a1/melatonin-2158208220?w=3840&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-melatonin-help-treat-covid-19) November 27, 2024/[Infectious Disease](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-conditions/infectious-disease) ### [Can Melatonin Help Treat COVID-19?](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-melatonin-help-treat-covid-19) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-melatonin-help-treat-covid-19 Studies have shown promising results, but additional research is needed [![Healthcare provider examining person's throat in office, with oversized germs around](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/StoryPanel/adad54c1-c240-45fd-a693-ec5434cb9784/thorat-checkup-patient-doctor-covid-1412852052-r?w=3840&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-covid-19-voice-and-what-causes-it) November 21, 2024/[Infectious Disease](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-conditions/infectious-disease) ### [How Laryngitis and COVID-19 Can Impact Your Voice](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-covid-19-voice-and-what-causes-it) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-covid-19-voice-and-what-causes-it Infection and inflammation can cause you to lose your voice and have other voice changes until you’re fully healed [![Person lying stomach down on bed, head on crossed arms, staring into the distance](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/StoryPanel/7c625131-6eaf-4b1b-8f58-e0b9f402ae86/depressedPerson-1421877961?w=3840&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-link-between-covid-and-depression) November 18, 2024/[Cold, Flu & Respiratory Illnesses](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-conditions/cold-flu-respiratory-illnesses) ### [Having COVID-19 May Increase Your Risk of Depression](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-link-between-covid-and-depression) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-link-between-covid-and-depression A COVID-19 infection can bring on depression or anxiety months after physical symptoms go away [![Person in mask and medical coveralls handling COVID-19 vials with gloved hands](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/StoryPanel/b426f571-6d27-4780-8378-ddf89076ed16/scientist-testing-1214032243?w=3840&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-does-it-mean-that-the-coronavirus-is-mutating) November 14, 2024/[Infectious Disease](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-conditions/infectious-disease) ### [COVID-19 Variants: What’s New and Why We’re Still Concerned](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-does-it-mean-that-the-coronavirus-is-mutating) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-does-it-mean-that-the-coronavirus-is-mutating Just like the flu, COVID-19 continues to evolve every year with new and smarter variants ## Trending Topics [![Person walking outdoors, looking at smartphone](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/StoryPanel/c10f2c1c-3976-499f-b183-d6facbc668eb/california-sober-1133287692?w=3840&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-cali-sober) [Mental Health](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-conditions/mental-health) ### [What Does It Mean To Be ‘California Sober’?](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-cali-sober) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-cali-sober This ‘harm reduction’ approach to sobriety involves subbing one substance for another — a method that isn’t backed by research [![Caregiver applying makeup to smiling teen](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/StoryPanel/d46853f3-4bcf-483b-a969-21e217e1d467/mom-and-teen-makeup-fun-2253970391?w=3840&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/does-your-child-want-to-wear-makeup-5-things-you-should-know) [Children’s Health](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/living-healthy/childrens-health) ### [Is It OK for Your Kid To Wear Makeup? 5 Things To Consider](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/does-your-child-want-to-wear-makeup-5-things-you-should-know) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/does-your-child-want-to-wear-makeup-5-things-you-should-know Educate your child about body image, expectations and skin care first [![Person in long-sleeve swimwear, scratching at their itchy wrist](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/StoryPanel/f861debb-bad0-4b41-a55d-e23757918e2b/chlorine-reaction-pool-1521871387?w=3840&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/chlorine-rash) [Skin Care & Beauty](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-conditions/skin-care-beauty) ### [Is That a Chlorine Rash? What Your Skin Is Telling You](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/chlorine-rash) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/chlorine-rash A true chlorine allergy is extremely rare — it’s far more likely that you have a damaged skin barrier ## Health Categories To Explore [![Brain & Nervous System Icon](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/StoryPanel/a1fee7a1-b531-4bb5-83f8-2ace3380adeb/icon-Brain-and-Nervous-System?w=128&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-conditions/brain-nervous-system)[Brain & Nervous System](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/health-conditions/brain-nervous-system) [![Children's Health Icon](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/StoryPanel/03fb80e3-5678-49ca-bc45-2a9c89ce8b44/icon-Childrens-Health?w=128&q=75)](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/living-healthy/childrens-health)[Children’s Health](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/living-healthy/childrens-health) [![Exercise & Fitness 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Readable Markdown	You made it through COVID-19 once and now you’re feeling invincible. Surely, you’re not going to get it again, right? Especially after you got vaccinated? Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but that’s not exactly true. Experts say you’re not in the clear just because you’ve already contracted and recovered from the virus. Breakthrough cases are possible even in previously ill people who are fully vaccinated — and, if you’ve had COVID-19 already but are not vaccinated, you may be at an even higher risk of getting sick again. Pediatric infectious disease specialist [Frank Esper, MD](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff/22314-frank-esper?_ga=2.115050191.958318824.1606143668-1510721700.1590679053), answers your questions about COVID-19 reinfection, including how you can best protect yourself from getting the virus again. ## Why you can get COVID-19 more than once You can get [COVID-19](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21214-coronavirus-covid-19) more than once. In fact, doctors continue to see COVID-19 infections because [vaccine immunity decreases over time](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/covid-immunity), we’ve stopped being as careful as we once were and new variants are coming in stronger than previous waves of coronavirus. “You put all four of those things together, and it’s not too surprising that we’re seeing more and more people becoming infected multiple times,” says Dr. Esper. Here’s why those four facts matter: - The pandemic has been happening for a while. In early January 2023, the U.S. [surpassed](https://www.cdc.gov/covid/) 101 million cases of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. “At this point, many of those infections happened months ago or more than a year ago,” Dr. Esper says. “The immunity from those initial infections begins to wane over time.” - Vaccine immunity diminishes with time, too. For Americans who got vaccinated as early as winter 2021, immunity may be starting to wane, as well. This is one reason why it’s critical to receive your third booster dose. - We’ve stopped being as careful. Gone are the early days of mass vigilance around safety precautions like [masking](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/a-comprehensive-guide-to-face-masks/), handwashing and social distancing — all the things that initially kept the virus at bay. - New variants are extra-contagious. [COVID-19 variants](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-does-it-mean-that-the-coronavirus-is-mutating/) are more infectious than the first wave of coronavirus. “These variants are able to overcome some of the existing immunity people developed via vaccination or a previous infection,” Dr. Esper states. ### Are variants to blame for reinfections? The U.S. Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) reports that the delta variant was at least twice as contagious as previous variants, and [omicron](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/omicron-covid-19-variant/) was even more contagious than delta as the dominant variant in the U.S. in 2021. Now, doctors are preparing for a [new dominant strain XBB.1.5](https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions). But you may be surprised to learn that the coronavirus actually doesn’t mutate nearly as much as [influenza](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4335-influenza-flu), which changes nearly everything about its appearance from one year to the next. Rather, Dr. Esper says, it’s COVID-19’s contagiousness that makes it so, well, contagious. “This variant’s infectiousness — including its ability to evade immune systems and prevent long-lasting immunity for those people who are infected with it — is one of the reasons why it’s been able to persist and come back,” he explains. ### How soon after a COVID-19 infection can you get it again? Research on when you can be reinfected with COVID-19 is mixed. Some studies have suggested that after you’ve been infected with COVID-19, you may be protected from reinfection for [up to a year or more](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35904405/). Others say immunity following recovery from COVID-19 [only lasts a few weeks](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33589297/), if even that. The CDC says research is ongoing to better understand how soon people can be reinfected. The good news is that if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely to be less severe than your first time around. In fact, the general rule of viral infections is that your first time is your worst time, and that’s especially true if you’ve been vaccinated. #### Can you get COVID-19 twice in a month? While not likely, it’s possible to get COVID-19 twice within a 90-day period. [According to the CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html), early reinfection within the first 90 days of initial infection is possible, though most reinfections occur after 90 days. “It is very unlikely that someone will get re-infected within the same month. However, we do see two situations where people think they are re-infected,” says Dr. Esper. “First, some people have persistent positive covid tests. This is due to the fact that covid testing is now so highly sensitive that they can detect residual particles of covid genes/proteins even after the infection itself has gone. Second, there are a small number of individuals who have a prolonged infection with COVID-19. We see this situation most often with people who have weakened immune systems. They can have a persistent infection with the same strain of covid for months.” New strains can also completely replace an existing COVID-19 variant. If this happens, you can get infected with the new emergent strain soon after infection with the previous variant. ### If you get COVID-19 twice, are the symptoms the same? Symptoms can be the same or different from one infection to the next and even between variants. Because of the wide array of symptoms associated with COVID-19 and its many variants, your symptoms can include a mix of any or all of the following: - [Fever](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/10880-fever) or chills. - Cough. - Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. - Extreme [fatigue](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/21206-fatigue) or prolonged tiredness. - [Brain fog](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/brain-fog/). - Muscle or body aches. - Headaches. - New loss of taste or smell. - Sore throat. - Congestion or runny nose. - [Nausea or vomiting](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/8106-nausea--vomiting). - [Diarrhea](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4108-diarrhea). “[Not everyone gets sick the same way](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/asymptomatic-covid). In fact, you may feel differently even when you become infected with the same germ at different times during your life. This is because it’s not just the infecting organism that causes your symptoms but also your immune response,” says Dr. Esper. “Your immune system is constantly in flux, rising and recovering as it fights off numerous pathogens we experience daily. Symptoms and severity with infections may differ based on what state our immune system is in when the next infection occurs.” ## Who’s at risk of COVID-19 reinfection? By now, we know that anyone can get COVID-19 — the vaccinated and unvaccinated, those who’ve had it already and those who haven’t. In the same vein, anyone can get COVID-19 again. “It’s important to note that we’re still learning a lot about reinfections and who’s at risk for those reinfections,” Dr. Esper states. But doctors do know that some people are at higher risk than others. ### Reinfection in people who are unvaccinated Think you don’t need to get vaccinated because you’ve already had COVID-19? Think again. One [study](https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7032e1.htm) shows that unvaccinated people are 2.34 times more likely to be reinfected with COVID-19 than those who are fully vaccinated — which drives home the importance of being vaccinated, even if you’ve already had the virus. “Reports indicate that vaccination provides longer protection than natural infection,” says Dr. Esper. “This virus can overcome a person’s host immunity and cause a second infection. Almost all the severe cases that we’re seeing right now are people who have not been vaccinated.” ### Reinfection in people who are immunocompromised People with immune issues are at an even higher risk for COVID-19 reinfection than the general public, prompting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize booster shots of Pfizer-BioNTech’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines starting with [immunocompromised individuals](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-immunocompromised-get-vaccines). “We always knew that people with immune problems were more likely to have less of a response to the vaccine and more likely to get a second infection after they got the vaccine,” Dr. Esper says. Booster shots are designed to help reduce that likelihood. ## COVID-19 vaccines work to decrease the seriousness of illness [Breakthrough cases](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/breakthrough-covid-cases/) of COVID-19, including cases of reinfection in people who are vaccinated, aren’t a sign that the vaccine doesn’t work. Vaccines are designed to prevent an illness from reaching its worst stages should you get infected. You can think of vaccines a lot like wearing a coat of armor: Without it, you leave yourself exposed to any and all attacks at full force. With a vaccine, you’re giving your body the extra protection it needs. “There is a very coordinated and concise effort against vaccines, and those people want to amplify breakthrough infections as a reason not to get vaccinated,” Dr. Esper notes. “But the safety and benefit of getting vaccinated is very, very strong, and they far outweigh the risks of getting vaccinated, which are very, very small.” In short? Vaccination is still critical. If you’re not yet vaccinated, now is the time to get it done — for your safety and for the safety of those around you.
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