COVID-19 can have serious, life-threatening complications, and there is no way to know how COVID-19 will affect you, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And if you do get sick, you could spread the disease to people you care about.

Natural protection, also known as immunity, may come from getting COVID-19, but evidence suggests that reinfection with the virus that causes COVID-19 is uncommon in the 90 days after initial infection. Experts don’t know for sure how long this protection lasts, and the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19 far outweighs any benefits of natural immunity. COVID-19 vaccination will help protect you by creating an antibody (immune system) response without having to experience sickness.

For more information on the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination visit the CDC webpage. 

This article first appeared in the April 5, 2021 issue of Oregon Coronavirus Update.