The Covid is not effective in protecting against another infection. According to Public Health France, Omicron increases the likelihood of getting infected multiple times. It will continue to grow.
Public Health France warns that “in view of the significant increase in SARS-CoV-2 circulation currently observed in France and the characteristics the BA.4/BA.5 sub-lineages now in the majority, it’s to be expected the frequency reinfections will increase in coming weeks”.
The agency observed that “SARS-CoV-2 infection rates were significantly higher during Omicron waves than in earlier periods.”
In the week of June 6-12, 12% of confirmed Covid-19 cases showed signs of reinfection. Reinfection is when there is a second positive Covid test within 60 days of the first.
Since the Omicron wave that swept across France in December last year, this proportion has increased.
According to Sante Publique France, 4.1% of confirmed cases of Covid-19 were caused by possible reinfections between March 2, 2021, and June 12, 2022. It was 0.7% up to December 5, 2021 (before Omicron) and 4.8% after December 6, 2021, when Sars-Cov-2 arrived. This new variant has now been the majority in the country.
Public Health France states that there are 93.5 cases of possible reinfections reported since March 2, 2021. An interpretable screening result for the second episode was also available. These cases could be Omicron variant.
Omicron can be spread to others even if you have had it before.
“However, despite the high rate of Omicron reinfections after a first Omicron infection, the likelihood that a second Omicron infection will occur after a first Omicron infection remains significantly higher,” states SPF.
According to the agency, “The likelihood of reinfection increases with age of the first infected. This plateau occurs about six months after the initial infection.”
The risk of contracting the disease again is not increased: “Reinfections, in most cases, are mild cases,” observes Vincent Auvigne (Epidemicologist at Public Health France, author of the study about reinfections).
