FAQ: What will change for people who have been vaccinated against corona recovery
More and more people in Germany are vaccinated against the corona virus. Anyone who has already suffered a corona infection is already considered fully vaccinated with one vaccination. The health vaccination certificates are finally available in pharmacies from today.
Anyone who has had a corona infection only needs a syringe for complete vaccination protection. Most of those concerned are aware of this. But there is a lot of ambiguity around it, for example about the choice of vaccine and proof of vaccination protection. An overview of important questions and answers.
When are those who have recovered considered fully vaccinated?
This is the case if the Covid-19 disease is proven by a positive PCR test and a vaccine dose against Sars-CoV-2 has been administered, according to the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG). This one-time vaccination should generally be considered six months after recovery, advises the Robert Koch Institute (RKI).
However, the full vaccination status is only valid 14 days after vaccination.
My PCR test certificate is gone – what now?
If you no longer have your test result, you can request it again from the department carrying out the test, writes the BMG on request. That means: You go to the doctor’s office or the test center where the smear was taken. Anyone who still remembers the laboratory in which the sample was evaluated can also inquire there.
If no PCR test result is available, according to the BMG, the same rules apply to those who have recovered as to people who have never suffered from Covid-19. That means: Usually two vaccinations are then due for a complete vaccination status – unless you are vaccinated with the vaccine from Johnson & Johnson, for which one dose is sufficient.
Is a second vaccination harmful if I have gone through the disease – perhaps unnoticed?
No, but it is unnecessary. “A second vaccination would not be dangerous, but rather wasted because it no longer changes the antibody level in the blood noticeably upwards,” explains Prof. Carsten Watzl, Secretary General of the German Society for Immunology (DGfI). DGfI Vice President Prof. Reinhold Förster says: “Anyone who has recovered is well protected with a vaccination. Before giving someone the second vaccination, it is better to vaccinate people who have not yet been vaccinated.”
Why is vaccination enough for those who have recovered?
The one-time vaccination ensures that they have a very good immune response. “Even those who have recovered who have only very few antibodies react so strongly to a vaccination that they have as high antibody levels afterwards as people after the second vaccination,” explains Carsten Watzl. After the infection, memory cells have formed, which are reactivated by the vaccination.
Which vaccine has the best effect on those who have recovered?
According to the RKI, all approved vaccines can be used for those who have recovered. Which vaccine offers the best booster effect has not yet been scientifically clarified. There are no comparable studies on this, says Reinhold Förster.
The Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) at the RKI now advises people who have not had a corona infection after vaccination with a vector vaccine such as from Astrazeneca to use an mRNA vaccine such as from Moderna or Biontech for the second vaccination. The combination should provide even better protection. Förster thinks it is conceivable that a deduction for those who have recovered can be made from this: “You can see that a second vaccination with an mRNA vaccine gives a significantly better immunization boost in people who have already been vaccinated than a second vaccination with a vector vaccine it is assumed that mRNA vaccines provide a stronger protective effect than vector vaccines even in those who have recovered, ”he says. “That is a hypothesis that can be well justified,” said the expert. “It’s also a kind of refresher, since those who have recovered have gone through the infection and their bodies have already developed an immune response.”
Do I have to wait at least six months for vaccination after recovery?
The Stiko recommends it. According to immunologist Watzl, the six-month period has mainly to do with a shortage of vaccines. He says: “From an immunological point of view, you could vaccinate after two to three months.” Also with regard to the digital vaccination certificate, an earlier vaccination than after the recommended six months is not a problem, according to the BMG, “because the vaccination certificate for the convalescent vaccination does not contain any information about the time of the PCR test”.
How exactly can those who have recovered digitally prove their vaccination status?
Theoretically, you can store the recovered status just like the vaccination in detection apps such as the CovPass app and the Corona warning app. The PCR test may only be at least 28 and a maximum of 180 days, i.e. six months, in the past.
But where do you get the QR code for scanning the proof into the app? In the questions and answers of the CovPass app it says: “You can get the recovery certificate in the doctor’s office.” The BMG writesthat the certificate of recovery can be issued by the person carrying out or supervising a test or by any doctor or pharmacist.
Sounds simple, but it is not always the case in everyday life: In a doctor’s practice, this only works if the management system used there supports the function for creating the certificate – but this is by no means the case for everyone.
The situation is different in pharmacies: from Friday (July 9th) those who have recovered who have already received a vaccination can get the digital Corona vaccination certificate there. The German Pharmacists’ Association announced this.
In order to get the digital proof to show on the smartphone, those who have recovered would have to present three documents: an ID with a photo, proof of a positive PCR test and proof of the one-time vaccination, for example in the vaccination card. Pharmacies in the area that can issue the certificate can be found on the website mein-apothekenmanager.de.
Do I have to worry about problems when traveling?
Some other countries also vaccinate convalescents twice. So what happens if a one-time vaccinated convalescent status is not fully recognized when entering the country? Travelers have no choice but to find out more in advance.
For travel within the EU, the European Commission gives reopen.europa.eu/de an overview in which you can find out the vaccination status with which entry is possible without further restrictions. All you have to do is enter the country of departure and the country of destination on the page. In France, for example, one learns that those who have recovered from Germany are allowed to enter there from 14 days after the first dose “without further restrictions”.
And when traveling outside of the European Union? At the international level, efforts are being made by the EU for mutual recognition of the currently valid vaccination schemes, the BMG announced. So uncertainties remain, even for those who have recovered with a vaccination.
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