This is part 82 of our coronavirus FAQ. Click here to read other installments: #Coronavirus the facts. Find the latest information and answers from experts on everything COVID-19.
Do you need to get vaccinated if you already had the coronavirus?
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging people to get the shot even if they have already recovered from COVID-19.
The CDC website says that data collected from clinical trials of the mRNA-type vaccines developed by Pfizer and Moderna, which are being administered in the US, show they are safe for people who have been infected in the past.
The CDC recommends that people who have recovered get the vaccine because it is not yet known how long they are protected from being re-infected. It also says that the level of natural immunity acquired through infection differs by person.
But the CDC also says that people who were treated for COVID-19 with convalescent plasma therapy or monoclonal antibodies should wait 90 days before getting the vaccine. It recommends that such people consult doctors beforehand.