Research has shown that reinfection rates of the coronavirus are low, a top immunologist at the Sri Jayawardenepura University Professor Neelika Malavige revealed.
Professor Malavige said there are chances for people to get reinfected with the virus, but the reinfection rate is low.
A study in the United Kingdom, which was conducted on healthcare workers, has shown that 4% of healthcare workers have got reinfected.
The reinfected healthcare workers were repeatedly exposed to the virus, and had been generally asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, but not a severe illness.
However, the research was based on the old variant, she explained.
Professor Malavige said, however, for the Delta variant, the severity of the illness can vary as it depends on the gap between the original infection and the subsequent infection.
She said that despite this, the reinfection rate among people is very low as of now.
Commenting on natural immunity, she said people naturally build immunity after getting infected with COVID-19.
The top immunologist explained that despite building natural immunity, there are chances of people getting reinfected after a while.
Most of the reinfections that have occurred in this manner are mild infections.
However, for people who are vaccinated and have been infected, the immunity of such people are in general very good, she said.
Professor Malavige added there are fewer chances for such people to get reinfected. (NewsWire)