COVID-19 questions: Do you need to get vaccinated if you previously tested positive?
Thousands of British Columbians have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began and the province's top doctor says many have asked if they still need to be vaccinated against the disease.
Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry spoke about vaccinations – and whether this group of more than 180,000 people should get their shots – during a live briefing Tuesday.
"The short answer is yes," she said.
Henry explained officials have looked at data on antibody levels from across Canada and the world.
"One of the things we know is the antibody levels after infection can be very varied. Some people's immune response can be really overwhelmed by infection, even with a mild or moderate infection," she said.
"Some people have a milder illness and they may not stimulate the whole part of their immune system."
Henry also said that the virus has changed since the pandemic began.
"We see that with a number of other viruses like influenza where it changes rapidly and it can evade your immune response, particularly if you were infected and had a milder infection with one of the strains that was circulating a year ago," she said.
Instead, Henry explained, the vaccine gives experts the ability to measure exactly how much antigen – or what causes an immune response – a person is receiving. She also said the vaccines give a standard response that lasts "for a long time" and that they offer a "broader protection" against different strains of COVID-19.
"We also know that some people who have recovered but have had 'long COVID' symptoms actually find their symptoms get better after immunization," she said.
Of course, in B.C., those who aren't vaccinated against COVID-19 are temporarily unable to access some non-essential activities like dining in at restaurants, going to the movie theatre or attending an indoor sporting event.
Only extremely rare exemptions are being considered by provincial health officials and no exemptions to the vaccine mandate are in place for those who have previously had COVID-19.
"For a number of reasons then, it is important, even if you've recovered from COVID-19, to receive a course of vaccination," Henry said.
"It's the best and longer-lasting, durable and wide-ranging protection that you can have, even as this virus is changing over time.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.