SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) — A new CDC study suggests getting the vaccine will offer you much stronger immunity to COVID-19 — than natural immunity.
Meaning even if you previously had the virus, the vaccine will still offer better protection.
Researchers looked at data from nearly 200 hospitals across the country to make this conclusion.
Local doctors say this study is good information for vaccine holdouts or people looking to gain immunity by simply getting sick with COVID-19.
The latter, experts say, is very risky because it can lead to ending up in the hospital or worse death.
The CDC report finding vaccines are five and half times more effective in preventing infections than natural immunity picked up from a previous infection.
Marin County public health officer Dr. Matt Willis says people who are protected through the vaccine get sick less frequently and contracting severe illness is rare.
For non-vaccinated people who have already been infected with COVID-19 and are convinced they have anti-bodies should understand that the amount and quality of those anti-bodies is hard to measure.
Dr. Willis argues gaining immunity through the vaccine has been proven to work through clinical trials.
Other studies have also shown that there’s the potential for even stronger protection for people who have been infected and vaccinated.
Dr. Willis says the risk of not being vaccinated is not worth it.
CDC data shows more than 30 million Californians have received at least one dose of the vaccine and more than 60 percent have been fully vaccinated.