Don’t skip getting the COVID-19 vaccine just because you’ve had the disease, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

There are two main reasons:

• Vaccines help protect you even when you’ve already had COVID-19. Studies have not yet shown how long you are protected from getting it again.
• Research suggests that people get better protection from being fully vaccinated, compared with having had COVID-19.

Evidence varies regarding the relative protection that occurs after surviving COVID-19, says the CDC. But one study showed that unvaccinated people who already had COVID-19 are more than 2 times as likely than fully vaccinated people to get COVID-19 again.

Wait until you are fully recovered from your illness to get your shot. Keep in mind, the CDC urges waiting 90 days to get the shot if you were treated with:

• monoclonal antibodies
• convalescent plasma

Talk to your doctor about the timing that is right for you.

Boosters and More

You can also check out the CDC’s vaccine information  for news on shots for children and boosters for adults.

Find Your Shot

Vaccines.gov  can help you find where to get the COVID-19 shot. And learn about:

• Types of COVID-19 vaccines on hand
• Phone number or website to find out more
• Open hours

Sources: Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination,  COVID-19 Vaccines for Specific Groups of People,  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021; COVID-19 Vaccination FAQs on Vaccines.gov,  Vaccines.gov, 2021.