My Take | Panic over, but the health risks of Covid-19 are still being debated
- No consensus from scientists on the dangers of reinfection or who should get boosted, but they agree older people more at risk
- The virus continues to pose a risk to the elderly and immunocompromised, and it would be unwise to ignore its existence
Frequently cited in the discussion is a study by researchers from Washington University in St Louis, Missouri, that concluded reinfections increased the risks of mortality, hospitalisation, the development of lung and heart issues, as well as brain fog and other problems.
The study, published late last year in the peer-reviewed journal Nature Medicine, was based on the data of nearly 41,000 people who suffered reinfection, collected from US Department and Veterans Affairs healthcare centres.
But some scientists have disputed the findings, arguing that the data was largely based on elderly, white males, and that the researchers did not study their underlying health conditions.
While it is obvious that previous infection or vaccination cannot prevent reinfection, there is so far no consensus among the scientific community about the potential health risks of further infections.
One reason the question is so hard to answer is that there are two forces at work when reinfection occurs, and individuals can respond very differently depending on their health circumstances.