The protection from prior COVID-19 infection does not protect well against reinfection against an Omicron subvariant, according to a new study.
The protection, known as natural immunity, was estimated at just 6 percent against reinfection with BA.2.75, the Omicron subvariant, by researchers in Qatar, where the subvariant is the dominant virus strain.
Natural immunity protected better if a person was infected during the Omicron era, which started in late 2021.
People who contracted BA.1 or BA.2 had 49.9 percent protection against reinfection. People who contracted BA.4 or BA.5 had 80.6 percent protection against reinfection.
Further, people who were initially infected during the pre-Omicron era and then infected again with BA.1 or BA.2 had 56.4 percent protection and people who were initially infected during the pre-Omicron era and then infected again with BA.4 or BA.5 had 91.6 percent infection….