🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 143 (from laksa082)

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/how-many-times-can-you-get-covid-19\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-many-times-can-you-get-covid-19\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/how-many-times-can-you-get-covid-19","crawl_time":1773210870,"first_indexed_time":1701416949,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"org,clevelandclinic!health,\/how-many-times-can-you-get-covid-19 s443","src_root_hash":"9889140825964526943","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Here's How Many Times You Can Get Covid","meta_descriptions":["There's no limit to how many times you can get COVID-19. As the virus continues to mutate, reinfections are on the rise."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Maybe you’ve been there before. The body aches. The loss of smell and taste. The positive test.\nMaybe you thought you were done with COVID-19. Maybe you thought it was like chickenpox — if you’ve had it once, you’re immune forever, and you can put your worries away for good.\nUnfortunately, that’s not the case.\nYou can get COVID-19 more than once.\nMany times, in fact.\n“The thing to remember is that viruses are very smart,” says critical care physician\nAbhijit Duggal, MD\n. “The COVID-19 virus structure changes, and it can change enough that our body’s immune system is not able to recognize the virus as something it was exposed to in the past. Your chances for COVID-19 reinfection increase when the virus changes enough that your body doesn’t remember it.”\nAs the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, reinfection is becoming the new norm, with people contracting the virus\nagain\nand again. We talked with Dr. Duggal about how many times you can be infected with COVID-19 and why reinfection happens.\nCan you get COVID-19 multiple times?\nYou might wonder how many times can you get COVID-19. That line from the movie\nMean Girls\ncomes to mind: The limit does not exist.\n“Think about it this way: There’s no set number of how many colds you can get over your lifetime. I can’t say, ‘I’ve gotten a cold 10 times in my lifetime. There’s no way I’m not going to get it 11 times,’” Dr. Duggal explains. “The same is true of COVID-19. If you get exposed to a new variant, the risk of reinfection is always there.”\nThe reason is that while some viruses, like\nchickenpox\n, stay relatively the same over time, the COVID-19 virus is more like the\nflu virus\n. It’s a master of self-preservation and mutation.\nAfter your body successfully fights off a variant of COVID-19, or gets the COVID-19 vaccine, your immune system can spot the offending virus when it tries to come back. It kicks out the virus like a bouncer on patrol for a troublesome club-hopper.\nIf that customer returns wearing sunglasses and a fake mustache a few months later, though, the bouncer may not recognize them and will open up the velvet ropes to usher them into the party. That’s how it is when the COVID-19 virus mutates. It changes itself just enough to slip by your body’s defenses undetected.\nIf you’re vaccinated and following all the recommended safety measures, Dr. Duggal says your risk of reinfection is lower. And thankfully, if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely going to be less severe. “But we have to be mindful that having been infected doesn’t give you immunity from other variants. You can’t bank on that,” he adds.\nHow long does COVID immunity last after infection?\nResearch on when you can be reinfected with COVID-19 is mixed. Some\nstudies\nhave suggested that after you have been infected with COVID-19, you may be protected from reinfection for 10 months or more.\nOthers\nsay immunity following recovery from COVID-19 only lasts a few weeks, if even that.\nThe\nCenters for Disease Control and Prevention\n(CDC) says research is ongoing to better understand how soon people can be reinfected.\nThe good news is that if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely to be less severe than your first time around.\n“We are seeing that in people who have a good, robust immunity — people who have been infected before and\/or who are vaccinated and have strong immune systems — the severity of their disease from COVID-19 reinfection is pretty low,” Dr. Duggal says.\nPeople who have weakened immune systems because of chronic illness, medication or other factors, however, may still be at a higher risk for more serious infections, even on a second or third go-round.\nProtection from reinfection\n“There are so many variables that play into your chances for being reinfected with COVID-19,” Dr. Duggal says. “Prior COVID-19 exposure. Your vaccination status. The prevention measures you’re taking to protect yourself. The ways the virus itself is changing over time. It all plays into your risk of infection.”\nKeeping yourself safe from getting COVID-19 again means remaining vigilant about taking\nprecautions\nagainst virus transmission. Healthcare providers recommend getting the COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to measures like hand-washing, mask-wearing, social distancing and keeping your distance from sick people, Dr. Duggal says.\nHaving COVID-19 once doesn’t grant you lasting immunity from future infection. As long as the virus continues to mutate, new variants will emerge that can sneak past your body’s bouncers … er, immune system.","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\nPost or Recipes debug info: client: {\"assets\":{},\"datasets\":{},\"live\":{},\"projects\":{},\"users\":{},\"observable\":{\"assets\":{},\"datasets\":{},\"live\":{},\"projects\":{},\"users\":{}}}  \nNow: 1773210870800  \nCache Key: heDataBySlug:how-many-times-can-you-get-covid-19  \nfetchCache\\[heDataBySlug:how-many-times-can-you-get-covid-19\\].expirationTime: 1773210880327  \nfetchCache\\[heDataBySlug:how-many-times-can-you-get-covid-19\\]. seconds remaining: 9.527  \nAll fetchCache expiration times:  \n\\-- Key: heNotFoundPageData, seconds remaining: 9527  \n\\-- Key: heDataBySlug:can-you-be-too-old-for-hip-or-knee-replacement, seconds remaining: -104421  \n\\-- Key: heDataBySlug:how-many-times-can-you-get-covid-19, seconds remaining: 9527  \nconditions:   \n -- true,  \n -- true,  \n -- true,  \n -- true  \n -- false  \nCache hit for key heDataBySlug:how-many-times-can-you-get-covid-19  \nCCCache.dataFetchCount: 738  \nCache uses for key heDataBySlug:how-many-times-can-you-get-covid-19: 1\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\nAugust 17, 2022\/[Health Conditions](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions)\/[Infectious Disease](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/infectious-disease)\n\n# How Many Times Can You Get COVID-19?\nCOVID-19 reinfections are on the rise, and there’s no limit to how many times you can get infected\n\n![Person floating by balloons over a sea of COVID viruses.](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/LargeFeatureImage\/0e8840be-a6bd-4b0b-aab1-a35cf378e9d6\/Getting-COVID-Mulitple-Times-1218710519-770x533-1_jpg)\n\n**Image content:** This image is available to view online.\n\nView image online (https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/0e8840be-a6bd-4b0b-aab1-a35cf378e9d6\/Getting-COVID-Mulitple-Times-1218710519-770x533-1\\_jpg)\n\nPerson floating by balloons over a sea of COVID viruses.\n\nMaybe you’ve been there before. The body aches. The loss of smell and taste. The positive test.\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\nMaybe you thought you were done with COVID-19. Maybe you thought it was like chickenpox — if you’ve had it once, you’re immune forever, and you can put your worries away for good.\n\nUnfortunately, that’s not the case. **You can get COVID-19 more than once.** Many times, in fact.\n\n“The thing to remember is that viruses are very smart,” says critical care physician [Abhijit Duggal, MD](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/staff\/17330-abhijit-duggal). “The COVID-19 virus structure changes, and it can change enough that our body’s immune system is not able to recognize the virus as something it was exposed to in the past. Your chances for COVID-19 reinfection increase when the virus changes enough that your body doesn’t remember it.”\n\nAs the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, reinfection is becoming the new norm, with people contracting the virus [again](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/can-you-get-covid-19-more-than-once\/) and again. We talked with Dr. Duggal about how many times you can be infected with COVID-19 and why reinfection happens.\n\n## **Can you get COVID-19 multiple times?**\nYou might wonder how many times can you get COVID-19. That line from the movie *Mean Girls* comes to mind: The limit does not exist.\n\n“Think about it this way: There’s no set number of how many colds you can get over your lifetime. I can’t say, ‘I’ve gotten a cold 10 times in my lifetime. There’s no way I’m not going to get it 11 times,’” Dr. Duggal explains. “The same is true of COVID-19. If you get exposed to a new variant, the risk of reinfection is always there.”\n\nAdvertisement\n\nThe reason is that while some viruses, like [chickenpox](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/4017-chickenpox), stay relatively the same over time, the COVID-19 virus is more like the [flu virus](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/flu-strains\/). It’s a master of self-preservation and mutation.\n\nAfter your body successfully fights off a variant of COVID-19, or gets the COVID-19 vaccine, your immune system can spot the offending virus when it tries to come back. It kicks out the virus like a bouncer on patrol for a troublesome club-hopper.\n\nIf that customer returns wearing sunglasses and a fake mustache a few months later, though, the bouncer may not recognize them and will open up the velvet ropes to usher them into the party. That’s how it is when the COVID-19 virus mutates. It changes itself just enough to slip by your body’s defenses undetected.\n\nIf you’re vaccinated and following all the recommended safety measures, Dr. Duggal says your risk of reinfection is lower. And thankfully, if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely going to be less severe. “But we have to be mindful that having been infected doesn’t give you immunity from other variants. You can’t bank on that,” he adds.\n\n### **How long does COVID immunity last after infection?**\nResearch on when you can be reinfected with COVID-19 is mixed. Some [studies](https:\/\/www.thelancet.com\/journals\/laninf\/article\/PIIS1473-3099\\(21\\)00676-9\/fulltext) have suggested that after you have been infected with COVID-19, you may be protected from reinfection for 10 months or more. [Others](https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33589297\/) say immunity following recovery from COVID-19 only lasts a few weeks, if even that.\n\nThe [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/) (CDC) says research is ongoing to better understand how soon people can be reinfected.\n\nThe good news is that if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely to be less severe than your first time around.\n\n“We are seeing that in people who have a good, robust immunity — people who have been infected before and\/or who are vaccinated and have strong immune systems — the severity of their disease from COVID-19 reinfection is pretty low,” Dr. Duggal says.\n\nPeople who have weakened immune systems because of chronic illness, medication or other factors, however, may still be at a higher risk for more serious infections, even on a second or third go-round.\n\n## **Protection from reinfection**\n“There are so many variables that play into your chances for being reinfected with COVID-19,” Dr. Duggal says. “Prior COVID-19 exposure. Your vaccination status. The prevention measures you’re taking to protect yourself. The ways the virus itself is changing over time. It all plays into your risk of infection.”\n\nKeeping yourself safe from getting COVID-19 again means remaining vigilant about taking [precautions](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#prevention) against virus transmission. Healthcare providers recommend getting the COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to measures like hand-washing, mask-wearing, social distancing and keeping your distance from sick people, Dr. Duggal says.\n\nAdvertisement\n\nHaving COVID-19 once doesn’t grant you lasting immunity from future infection. As long as the virus continues to mutate, new variants will emerge that can sneak past your body’s bouncers … er, immune system.\n\nAdvertisement\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\/f6c952dc-1d78-46b3-8a00-8acb43411841\/HE-Newsletter-Artwork?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[![Child playing soccer, being hit in head with soccer ball](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/72b429d0-172d-42c5-978d-b16d500544b7\/head-strike-soccer-1425994124?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/6-stages-of-concussion-recovery)\n\n[Brain & Nervous System](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-conditions\/brain-nervous-system)\n\n#### [The 6 Stages of Concussion Recovery](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/6-stages-of-concussion-recovery)\nhttps:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/6-stages-of-concussion-recovery\n\nGetting back to normal after a head injury takes time — and patience\n\n[![Caregiver helping happy child put on snow pants](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/d3d36db9-cbd6-474a-91f9-a6ca70373e39\/dressing-in-layers-winter-2231934269?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/cold-stress)\n\n[Primary Care](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/living-healthy\/primary-care)\n\n#### [Here’s How To Prevent Cold Stress](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/cold-stress)\nhttps:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/cold-stress\n\nDressing in multiple layers, drinking warm liquids and taking breaks indoors can help prevent these cold-weather injuries\n\n[![Red, yellow and green bell peppers in baskets at market](https:\/\/assets.clevelandclinic.org\/transform\/StoryPanel\/f0fbdb19-aaf6-4ece-abce-95d8ec91ea2c\/bell-peppers-1726385715?w=3840&q=75)](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-benefits-of-bell-peppers)\n\n[Nutrition](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/diet-food-fitness\/nutrition)\n\n#### [Health Benefits of Bell Peppers](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-benefits-of-bell-peppers)\nhttps:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/health-benefits-of-bell-peppers\n\nPick bell peppers to help fight cancer, memory decline and joint pain\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: Wed Mar 11 2026 06:34:30 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 eNewsletters](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health-essentials-newsletter?utm_medium=email&utm_source=jotform&utm_campaign=he&utm_content=signuppage)[Resources for Medical Professionals](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/professionals)[Media Relations](https:\/\/newsroom.clevelandclinic.org\/)\n\n##### Site Information & Policies\n[Send Us 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[800\\.223.2273](tel:8002232273) \\| © 2026 Cleveland Clinic. All Rights Reserved.","attrs_readable_markdown":"Maybe you’ve been there before. The body aches. The loss of smell and taste. The positive test.\n\nMaybe you thought you were done with COVID-19. Maybe you thought it was like chickenpox — if you’ve had it once, you’re immune forever, and you can put your worries away for good.\n\nUnfortunately, that’s not the case. **You can get COVID-19 more than once.** Many times, in fact.\n\n“The thing to remember is that viruses are very smart,” says critical care physician [Abhijit Duggal, MD](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/staff\/17330-abhijit-duggal). “The COVID-19 virus structure changes, and it can change enough that our body’s immune system is not able to recognize the virus as something it was exposed to in the past. Your chances for COVID-19 reinfection increase when the virus changes enough that your body doesn’t remember it.”\n\nAs the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, reinfection is becoming the new norm, with people contracting the virus [again](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/can-you-get-covid-19-more-than-once\/) and again. We talked with Dr. Duggal about how many times you can be infected with COVID-19 and why reinfection happens.\n\n## **Can you get COVID-19 multiple times?**\nYou might wonder how many times can you get COVID-19. That line from the movie *Mean Girls* comes to mind: The limit does not exist.\n\n“Think about it this way: There’s no set number of how many colds you can get over your lifetime. I can’t say, ‘I’ve gotten a cold 10 times in my lifetime. There’s no way I’m not going to get it 11 times,’” Dr. Duggal explains. “The same is true of COVID-19. If you get exposed to a new variant, the risk of reinfection is always there.”\n\nThe reason is that while some viruses, like [chickenpox](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/4017-chickenpox), stay relatively the same over time, the COVID-19 virus is more like the [flu virus](https:\/\/health.clevelandclinic.org\/flu-strains\/). It’s a master of self-preservation and mutation.\n\nAfter your body successfully fights off a variant of COVID-19, or gets the COVID-19 vaccine, your immune system can spot the offending virus when it tries to come back. It kicks out the virus like a bouncer on patrol for a troublesome club-hopper.\n\nIf that customer returns wearing sunglasses and a fake mustache a few months later, though, the bouncer may not recognize them and will open up the velvet ropes to usher them into the party. That’s how it is when the COVID-19 virus mutates. It changes itself just enough to slip by your body’s defenses undetected.\n\nIf you’re vaccinated and following all the recommended safety measures, Dr. Duggal says your risk of reinfection is lower. And thankfully, if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely going to be less severe. “But we have to be mindful that having been infected doesn’t give you immunity from other variants. You can’t bank on that,” he adds.\n\n### **How long does COVID immunity last after infection?**\nResearch on when you can be reinfected with COVID-19 is mixed. Some [studies](https:\/\/www.thelancet.com\/journals\/laninf\/article\/PIIS1473-3099\\(21\\)00676-9\/fulltext) have suggested that after you have been infected with COVID-19, you may be protected from reinfection for 10 months or more. [Others](https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/33589297\/) say immunity following recovery from COVID-19 only lasts a few weeks, if even that.\n\nThe [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/) (CDC) says research is ongoing to better understand how soon people can be reinfected.\n\nThe good news is that if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely to be less severe than your first time around.\n\n“We are seeing that in people who have a good, robust immunity — people who have been infected before and\/or who are vaccinated and have strong immune systems — the severity of their disease from COVID-19 reinfection is pretty low,” Dr. Duggal says.\n\nPeople who have weakened immune systems because of chronic illness, medication or other factors, however, may still be at a higher risk for more serious infections, even on a second or third go-round.\n\n## **Protection from reinfection**\n“There are so many variables that play into your chances for being reinfected with COVID-19,” Dr. Duggal says. “Prior COVID-19 exposure. Your vaccination status. The prevention measures you’re taking to protect yourself. The ways the virus itself is changing over time. It all plays into your risk of infection.”\n\nKeeping yourself safe from getting COVID-19 again means remaining vigilant about taking [precautions](https:\/\/my.clevelandclinic.org\/health\/diseases\/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#prevention) against virus transmission. Healthcare providers recommend getting the COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to measures like hand-washing, mask-wearing, social distancing and keeping your distance from sick people, Dr. Duggal says.\n\nHaving COVID-19 once doesn’t grant you lasting immunity from future infection. As long as the virus continues to mutate, new variants will emerge that can sneak past your body’s bouncers … er, immune system.","meta_canonical":null}

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URL	https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-many-times-can-you-get-covid-19
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Meta Title	Here's How Many Times You Can Get Covid
Meta Description	There's no limit to how many times you can get COVID-19. As the virus continues to mutate, reinfections are on the rise.
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Boilerpipe Text	Maybe you’ve been there before. The body aches. The loss of smell and taste. The positive test. Maybe you thought you were done with COVID-19. Maybe you thought it was like chickenpox — if you’ve had it once, you’re immune forever, and you can put your worries away for good. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. You can get COVID-19 more than once. Many times, in fact. “The thing to remember is that viruses are very smart,” says critical care physician Abhijit Duggal, MD . “The COVID-19 virus structure changes, and it can change enough that our body’s immune system is not able to recognize the virus as something it was exposed to in the past. Your chances for COVID-19 reinfection increase when the virus changes enough that your body doesn’t remember it.” As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, reinfection is becoming the new norm, with people contracting the virus again and again. We talked with Dr. Duggal about how many times you can be infected with COVID-19 and why reinfection happens. Can you get COVID-19 multiple times? You might wonder how many times can you get COVID-19. That line from the movie Mean Girls comes to mind: The limit does not exist. “Think about it this way: There’s no set number of how many colds you can get over your lifetime. I can’t say, ‘I’ve gotten a cold 10 times in my lifetime. There’s no way I’m not going to get it 11 times,’” Dr. Duggal explains. “The same is true of COVID-19. If you get exposed to a new variant, the risk of reinfection is always there.” The reason is that while some viruses, like chickenpox , stay relatively the same over time, the COVID-19 virus is more like the flu virus . It’s a master of self-preservation and mutation. After your body successfully fights off a variant of COVID-19, or gets the COVID-19 vaccine, your immune system can spot the offending virus when it tries to come back. It kicks out the virus like a bouncer on patrol for a troublesome club-hopper. If that customer returns wearing sunglasses and a fake mustache a few months later, though, the bouncer may not recognize them and will open up the velvet ropes to usher them into the party. That’s how it is when the COVID-19 virus mutates. It changes itself just enough to slip by your body’s defenses undetected. If you’re vaccinated and following all the recommended safety measures, Dr. Duggal says your risk of reinfection is lower. And thankfully, if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely going to be less severe. “But we have to be mindful that having been infected doesn’t give you immunity from other variants. You can’t bank on that,” he adds. How long does COVID immunity last after infection? Research on when you can be reinfected with COVID-19 is mixed. Some studies have suggested that after you have been infected with COVID-19, you may be protected from reinfection for 10 months or more. Others say immunity following recovery from COVID-19 only lasts a few weeks, if even that. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (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. “We are seeing that in people who have a good, robust immunity — people who have been infected before and/or who are vaccinated and have strong immune systems — the severity of their disease from COVID-19 reinfection is pretty low,” Dr. Duggal says. People who have weakened immune systems because of chronic illness, medication or other factors, however, may still be at a higher risk for more serious infections, even on a second or third go-round. Protection from reinfection “There are so many variables that play into your chances for being reinfected with COVID-19,” Dr. Duggal says. “Prior COVID-19 exposure. Your vaccination status. The prevention measures you’re taking to protect yourself. The ways the virus itself is changing over time. It all plays into your risk of infection.” Keeping yourself safe from getting COVID-19 again means remaining vigilant about taking precautions against virus transmission. Healthcare providers recommend getting the COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to measures like hand-washing, mask-wearing, social distancing and keeping your distance from sick people, Dr. Duggal says. Having COVID-19 once doesn’t grant you lasting immunity from future infection. As long as the virus continues to mutate, new variants will emerge that can sneak past your body’s bouncers … er, immune system.
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COVID-19 reinfections are on the rise, and there’s no limit to how many times you can get infected ![Person floating by balloons over a sea of COVID viruses.](https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/LargeFeatureImage/0e8840be-a6bd-4b0b-aab1-a35cf378e9d6/Getting-COVID-Mulitple-Times-1218710519-770x533-1_jpg) Image content: This image is available to view online. View image online (https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/0e8840be-a6bd-4b0b-aab1-a35cf378e9d6/Getting-COVID-Mulitple-Times-1218710519-770x533-1\_jpg) Person floating by balloons over a sea of COVID viruses. Maybe you’ve been there before. The body aches. The loss of smell and taste. The positive test. 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) Maybe you thought you were done with COVID-19. Maybe you thought it was like chickenpox — if you’ve had it once, you’re immune forever, and you can put your worries away for good. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. You can get COVID-19 more than once. Many times, in fact. “The thing to remember is that viruses are very smart,” says critical care physician [Abhijit Duggal, MD](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff/17330-abhijit-duggal). “The COVID-19 virus structure changes, and it can change enough that our body’s immune system is not able to recognize the virus as something it was exposed to in the past. Your chances for COVID-19 reinfection increase when the virus changes enough that your body doesn’t remember it.” As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, reinfection is becoming the new norm, with people contracting the virus [again](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-you-get-covid-19-more-than-once/) and again. We talked with Dr. Duggal about how many times you can be infected with COVID-19 and why reinfection happens. ## Can you get COVID-19 multiple times? You might wonder how many times can you get COVID-19. That line from the movie Mean Girls comes to mind: The limit does not exist. “Think about it this way: There’s no set number of how many colds you can get over your lifetime. I can’t say, ‘I’ve gotten a cold 10 times in my lifetime. There’s no way I’m not going to get it 11 times,’” Dr. Duggal explains. “The same is true of COVID-19. If you get exposed to a new variant, the risk of reinfection is always there.” Advertisement The reason is that while some viruses, like [chickenpox](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4017-chickenpox), stay relatively the same over time, the COVID-19 virus is more like the [flu virus](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/flu-strains/). It’s a master of self-preservation and mutation. After your body successfully fights off a variant of COVID-19, or gets the COVID-19 vaccine, your immune system can spot the offending virus when it tries to come back. It kicks out the virus like a bouncer on patrol for a troublesome club-hopper. If that customer returns wearing sunglasses and a fake mustache a few months later, though, the bouncer may not recognize them and will open up the velvet ropes to usher them into the party. That’s how it is when the COVID-19 virus mutates. It changes itself just enough to slip by your body’s defenses undetected. If you’re vaccinated and following all the recommended safety measures, Dr. Duggal says your risk of reinfection is lower. And thankfully, if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely going to be less severe. “But we have to be mindful that having been infected doesn’t give you immunity from other variants. You can’t bank on that,” he adds. ### How long does COVID immunity last after infection? Research on when you can be reinfected with COVID-19 is mixed. Some [studies](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099\(21\)00676-9/fulltext) have suggested that after you have been infected with COVID-19, you may be protected from reinfection for 10 months or more. [Others](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33589297/) say immunity following recovery from COVID-19 only lasts a few weeks, if even that. The [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](https://www.cdc.gov/) (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. “We are seeing that in people who have a good, robust immunity — people who have been infected before and/or who are vaccinated and have strong immune systems — the severity of their disease from COVID-19 reinfection is pretty low,” Dr. Duggal says. People who have weakened immune systems because of chronic illness, medication or other factors, however, may still be at a higher risk for more serious infections, even on a second or third go-round. ## Protection from reinfection “There are so many variables that play into your chances for being reinfected with COVID-19,” Dr. Duggal says. “Prior COVID-19 exposure. Your vaccination status. The prevention measures you’re taking to protect yourself. The ways the virus itself is changing over time. It all plays into your risk of infection.” Keeping yourself safe from getting COVID-19 again means remaining vigilant about taking [precautions](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#prevention) against virus transmission. Healthcare providers recommend getting the COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to measures like hand-washing, mask-wearing, social distancing and keeping your distance from sick people, Dr. Duggal says. Advertisement Having COVID-19 once doesn’t grant you lasting immunity from future infection. As long as the virus continues to mutate, new variants will emerge that can sneak past your body’s bouncers … er, immune system. Advertisement [![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/f6c952dc-1d78-46b3-8a00-8acb43411841/HE-Newsletter-Artwork?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. 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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 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Readable Markdown	Maybe you’ve been there before. The body aches. The loss of smell and taste. The positive test. Maybe you thought you were done with COVID-19. Maybe you thought it was like chickenpox — if you’ve had it once, you’re immune forever, and you can put your worries away for good. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. You can get COVID-19 more than once. Many times, in fact. “The thing to remember is that viruses are very smart,” says critical care physician [Abhijit Duggal, MD](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/staff/17330-abhijit-duggal). “The COVID-19 virus structure changes, and it can change enough that our body’s immune system is not able to recognize the virus as something it was exposed to in the past. Your chances for COVID-19 reinfection increase when the virus changes enough that your body doesn’t remember it.” As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, reinfection is becoming the new norm, with people contracting the virus [again](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-you-get-covid-19-more-than-once/) and again. We talked with Dr. Duggal about how many times you can be infected with COVID-19 and why reinfection happens. ## Can you get COVID-19 multiple times? You might wonder how many times can you get COVID-19. That line from the movie Mean Girls comes to mind: The limit does not exist. “Think about it this way: There’s no set number of how many colds you can get over your lifetime. I can’t say, ‘I’ve gotten a cold 10 times in my lifetime. There’s no way I’m not going to get it 11 times,’” Dr. Duggal explains. “The same is true of COVID-19. If you get exposed to a new variant, the risk of reinfection is always there.” The reason is that while some viruses, like [chickenpox](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4017-chickenpox), stay relatively the same over time, the COVID-19 virus is more like the [flu virus](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/flu-strains/). It’s a master of self-preservation and mutation. After your body successfully fights off a variant of COVID-19, or gets the COVID-19 vaccine, your immune system can spot the offending virus when it tries to come back. It kicks out the virus like a bouncer on patrol for a troublesome club-hopper. If that customer returns wearing sunglasses and a fake mustache a few months later, though, the bouncer may not recognize them and will open up the velvet ropes to usher them into the party. That’s how it is when the COVID-19 virus mutates. It changes itself just enough to slip by your body’s defenses undetected. If you’re vaccinated and following all the recommended safety measures, Dr. Duggal says your risk of reinfection is lower. And thankfully, if you get COVID-19 again, it’s likely going to be less severe. “But we have to be mindful that having been infected doesn’t give you immunity from other variants. You can’t bank on that,” he adds. ### How long does COVID immunity last after infection? Research on when you can be reinfected with COVID-19 is mixed. Some [studies](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099\(21\)00676-9/fulltext) have suggested that after you have been infected with COVID-19, you may be protected from reinfection for 10 months or more. [Others](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33589297/) say immunity following recovery from COVID-19 only lasts a few weeks, if even that. The [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](https://www.cdc.gov/) (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. “We are seeing that in people who have a good, robust immunity — people who have been infected before and/or who are vaccinated and have strong immune systems — the severity of their disease from COVID-19 reinfection is pretty low,” Dr. Duggal says. People who have weakened immune systems because of chronic illness, medication or other factors, however, may still be at a higher risk for more serious infections, even on a second or third go-round. ## Protection from reinfection “There are so many variables that play into your chances for being reinfected with COVID-19,” Dr. Duggal says. “Prior COVID-19 exposure. Your vaccination status. The prevention measures you’re taking to protect yourself. The ways the virus itself is changing over time. It all plays into your risk of infection.” Keeping yourself safe from getting COVID-19 again means remaining vigilant about taking [precautions](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21214-coronavirus-covid-19#prevention) against virus transmission. Healthcare providers recommend getting the COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to measures like hand-washing, mask-wearing, social distancing and keeping your distance from sick people, Dr. Duggal says. Having COVID-19 once doesn’t grant you lasting immunity from future infection. As long as the virus continues to mutate, new variants will emerge that can sneak past your body’s bouncers … er, immune system.
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