GREENSBORO, N.C. — For the first time, we're getting reports of people here in North Carolina possibly being reinfected with coronavirus. We have reported cases confirmed elsewhere. That means they had it once and test positive again months later.
Health experts said if a lot of people can be reinfected, that means you're not immune forever after getting the virus, the vaccine might have trouble working in the long run, and most importantly, this horror show could drag on much longer. But we're not there yet. Right now, it's still pretty rare and in the early stages of scientific review.
Stanly County reported Friday two possible reinfection cases and Mecklenburg County has more than 30. We checked with Triad counties, but haven't heard back. However, we did talk with the Mecklenburg County Health Director, Gibby Harris. She said it's not a huge concern at the moment.
"We are continuing to watch that closely. It is not a significant number at this point in our community, and we're hoping that it won't be," Harris said.
Here is the timeline of what the state wants to be counted as possible reinfection:
- The patient has to test positive and go through all the symptoms.
- Have a negative test.
- At least three months later, have another positive test.
The reason this is considered possible reinfection is because it's not clear if this second positive test is another round of the virus hitting the patient or just a resurgence of the first time they got sick.
In order to figure that out, scientists have to compare samples from the first and second infections. If they are slightly different, it's a reinfection. The big problem is researchers rarely have samples stored from the first time around. They are working on changing that and keeping more of the tests that come into the labs. Researchers say this is why it's going to take a while to know how common reinfections really are.
So, here's the bottom line: Right now the CDC says reinfection is rare. If you get coronavirus, you're probably good for about three months. But not always.
We should know more firm answers in the spring when researchers have had more time to sort it all out.