11 new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed yesterday by the Adair County Health Department. Among the new cases is a reinfected 94-year-old female. The health department says reinfection is when a person fully recovers from COVID-19 then subsequently tests positive for the virus again. The female tested positive in late January 2021 and recovered. She has not received any of the current COVID-19 vaccines.
According to the CDC, reinfection is rare because the immune system of an infected individual builds up antibodies to fight the virus. No one is sure how long antibodies last following a COVID-19 infection, although the CDC estimate is up to eight months, based on research performed to date. Because there is no definitive proof of how long antibodies developed in a COVID-positive person remain strong enough to fight the virus, health officials encourage everyone eligible to get a vaccination, get one.