A new study has found that people over the age of 65 who have recovered from COVID-19 have a 50- to 50-second chance of a second attack six months after the first illness.
The odds are much better for younger, healthier people, but it’s still not a sure thing, according to the Danish study, published in the medical journal Lancet.
According to the study, approximately 80% of healthy people under the age of 65 did not suffer a second attack at six months of the first COVID-19 disease, which examined 4,000 test subjects.
The study shows that it remains important for people who have recovered from COVID-19 to obtain the increased immunity provided by vaccination and continue with protocols for masking, hand washing, and social distancing.
“Our study confirms what a number of others seemed to suggest: COVID-19 reinfection is rare in young, healthy people, but older people have a higher risk of catching it again,” Dr. Steen said. Ethelberg, from the Statens Serum Institute in Denmark. he told the studio.
“Because older people are also more likely to suffer severe symptoms of the disease and sadly die, our findings clearly show the importance of implementing policies to protect the elderly during the pandemic,” Ethelberg wrote.
“Given what’s at stake, the results emphasize the importance of people adhering to implementing policies to protect the elderly during the pandemic.”