Why are people testing positive for COVID more than once?
There's a possibility of testing positive for COVID-19 more than once.
News Channel 3 reached out to a local doctor for answers.
Some people like Ellen Zehna haven't tested positive for COVID since the start of the pandemic.
"I've had the two Pfizer vaccinations and the two booster shots, never gotten COVID," shares Zehna.
Others haven't been as lucky, testing positive for a second, even third time.
Dr. Brian Hodgkins, Executive Vice President of Clinical Operations at Desert Oasis Healthcare shares that sub variants may be playing a role in reinfection.
"This virus variant in the Beta Omicron realm is mutating. And right now it's about 60 to 70 percent of the circulating virus that we're seeing in Riverside County," says Dr. Hodgkins.
Dr. Hodgkins shares that although vaccines are effective in preventing people from fatal COVID symptoms.
"They don't account for 32 of the genetic mutations on the spike protein that this Omicron family seems to carry," add Dr. Hodgkins.
Desert Oasis Healthcare has been tracking sub variants since the start of the Omicron surge.
"They might have been infected with Alpha, then maybe the Delta. Now the Omicron B-2, and you can get infected now with this sub variant the BA 2-12-1. And we're predicting that you'll be able to get infected with the BA 4 and 5," says Dr. Hodgkins.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention is working to collect date on reinfection numbers throughout the country.
They share the following on their website regarding COVID-19 and reinfections.
"After recovering from COVID-19, most individuals will have some protection from repeat infections. However, reinfections do occur after COVID-19. We are still learning more about these reinfections."
Dr. Hodgkins also shares that people who are boosted carry the virus for a shorter period of time.
Experts also recommend vaccine and booster shots to help prevent COVID reinfection, especially for people that may have risk factors.
The FDA also recently approved vaccines for children under the age of 5. The CDC will be deciding sometime this weekend how to administer the vaccine to children and infants. You can read the entire story here.
