https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8842-9762
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ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic has altered innumerable lives. Although recent mass vaccinations offer a glimmer of hope, the rising death toll and new variants continue to dominate the current scenario. As we begin to understand more about SARS-CoV-2 infections, the territory of reinfections with COVID-19 remains unexplored. In this review, we will discuss several aspects of reinfection: (a) How is COVID-19 reinfection characterized? (b) Does prior literature differentiate between reinfection and reactivation? (c) What SARS-CoV-2 strains do the vaccines target and can they protect against new strains? Larger and longer timeline studies are needed to understand reinfection risks. With the ongoing distribution of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines to provide protection, the understanding of the possibility for SARS-CoV-2 reinfection remains critical.
Abbreviations CDC: Centers for Disease ControlSARS-CoV-2: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2COVID-19: Coronavirus disease 2019RT-PCR: Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain ReactionPASC: Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection
Acknowledgments
BS, CE, LH, and SK contributed to initial drafts and revisions. RG contributed to the design and revisions of the manuscript. RJ contributed to revisions.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Disclosure of interest statement
The authors do not have financial relationships with any commercial entity that has an interest in the subject of the presented manuscript or other conflicts of interest to disclose