10/13/2020

Scientists Confirm First Documented COVID-19 Reinfection in the U.S.

This means being infected may not provide future immunity

A 25-year-old man in Nevada has been identified as the first person in the U.S. to get COVID-19 twice, according to a study published in the medical journal The Lancet on Monday.

Why it matters: The finding indicates that being infected with the virus "might not guarantee total immunity in all cases," the study's researchers write. It also calls into question the value of any potential source or indicator of immunity — whether that's antibody testing, the use of blood plasma as a treatment or, perhaps, even a vaccine, per Axios' Sam Baker.

• People who have been infected "should take identical precautions" as those who have never had it, the researchers write.

The big picture: The Nevada case is the fifth confirmed reinfection worldwide since scientists documented the first reinfection in Hong Kong in August, per NPR.

Please select this link to read the complete article from Axios.