People who recovered from COVID-19 were found to be at risk of renewed contagion from some variants of the virus.

According to a study published on Tuesday by the military intelligence task force in the Health Ministry, people who had been ill should receive a coronavirus vaccine three months after they recovered.

The report claims the so called South African variant B.1.351 which has been found in Israel as well as in other countries around the world, contains 21 mutations including the E484K mutant which allows the virus to bypass some of the body’s immune system.

In tests conducted in a lab, the Brazilian variant P.1 and the recently detected New York Variant – B.1.526 also had the same mutation.

Information aggregated by researchers indicates that though anyone who had not been infected and had received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine is not at risk of morbidity, those who had recovered are as susceptible to disease as those who were not vaccinated.

The World Health Organization recently warned that the South African variant could cause illness in recovering patients.

The taskforce recommended therefore, that people who were exposed to the coronavirus and had recovered, receive a jab.

The recommended dose is one vaccine only in order to protect from the virus.

Recovering patients were asked to get tested if they felt unwell and maintain social distancing or quarantine if they are confirmed to have been infected once again.

Tests from recovering patients are to be examined at the central laboratory for infectious diseases at the Sheba Medical Center for genetic sequencing

Israel began vaccinating recovering patients against recurring illness on Tuesday.

According to the American Center for Disease Control (CDC), there is no risk to anyone who had recovered from COVID receiving a shot. Pfizer’s research confirms that assessment.

French health authorities also recommended a single shot be administered three to six months after recovery.

Header: A coronavirus ward at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem (Photo: Amit Shabi)

Source: Itai Gal – Ynet