Natural immunity wins

Natural immunity 27 times better Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Naturally Acquired Immunity versus Vaccine-induced Immunity, Reinfections versus Breakthrough Infections: A Retrospective Cohort Study Background Waning of protection, conferred by 2 doses of the BNT162b2 vaccine, begins shortly after injection, becomes substantial within 4 months. We examined long-term protection of naturally acquired immunity, compared to vaccine-induced immunity. Group 1, N = 673,676 Vaccine not Infection Group SARS-CoV-2-naive individuals who received a 2-dose regimen of the BioNTech/Pfizer mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine. Group 2, N = 62,883 Infection not Vaccine Group Previously infected individuals who have not been vaccinated SARS-CoV-2-related outcomes June 1st to August 14th 2021 (Delta variant times) Infection, 13 times more infections in vaccinated group Symptomatic disease, 27 times more disease in vaccinated group Hospitalization, 8 in vaccinated group, 0 in infection group Death 0 / 0 Results When the first event (infection or vaccination) occurred during January and February of 2021. That’s 4 months up to 8 months Vaccinees not Infection Group, increased risk for infection, compared to Infection not Vaccine Group Group 2, Infection not Vaccine Group, 13 times less likely to get infected with delta Group 2, Infection not Vaccine Group, 27 times less likely to get symptomatic infection. Group 2, Infection not Vaccine Group, 0 COVID-19-related hospitalizations Group 1, Vaccine not Infection Group, 8 COVID-19-related hospitalizations Allowing for more time since first event 6 to 17 months after first event Evidence of waning naturally acquired immunity was demonstrated Vaccine not Infection Group, increased risk for infection Vaccine not Infection Group, increased risk for symptomatic disease. Conclusions Naturally acquired immunity confers stronger protection against infection and symptomatic disease caused by the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2, compared to the BNT162b2 2-dose vaccine-indued immunity. Cleveland Clinic Health-care workers 1,359 unvaccinated, who had previously tested positive, non got infected The study authors concluded: “individuals who have had SARS-CoV-2 infection are unlikely to benefit from covid-19 vaccination.” Professor Marty Makary, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health, editor-in-chief of Medpage Today It’s okay to have an incorrect scientific hypothesis. But when new data proves it wrong, you have to adapt. Unfortunately, many elected leaders and public health officials have held on far too long to the hypothesis that natural immunity offers unreliable protection against covid-19, a contention that is being rapidly debunked by science. Sixteen studies have demonstrated the power of acquired immunity That’s why it’s so frustrating that the Biden administration has repeatedly argued that immunity conferred by vaccines is preferable to immunity caused by natural infection, In my clinical experience, I have found patients to be extremely forgiving with evolving data if you are honest and transparent with them. The incorrect hypothesis that natural immunity is unreliable has resulted in the loss of thousands of American lives, avoidable vaccine complications, and damaged the credibility of public health officials. it would be good for our public health leaders to show humility by acknowledging that the hypothesis they repeatedly trumpeted was not only wrong, but it may be harmful. Public health officials changing their position on natural immunity, after so much hostility toward the idea, would go a long way in rebuilding the public trust.