Christine Enns stated she was shocked when a fast take a look at confirmed she had examined optimistic for COVID-19.
Enns, who obtained two doses of COVID-19 vaccine and a booster shot, already had the virus in early February and thought reinfection was uncommon.
"I began feeling sick three to 4 days in the past considering, 'This appears like COVID.' I took 5 checks and ... right this moment it got here again optimistic," the bakery proprietor stated Friday from her dwelling in Warren, Mba., about 45 kilometres north of Winnipeg.
"It did come as a shock to me due to all of the issues I put in place to not get it. Now that I had it twice, I do not really feel fairly as invincible."
Reinfection of COVID-19 was thought-about uncommon, however then the Omicron variant arrived.
"As a result of Omicron is so completely different, earlier an infection does not shield you," Saskatchewan's chief medical well being officer, Dr. Saqib Shahab, stated final week.
He stated public well being knowledge suggests as much as 10 per cent of contaminated Canadians who've lately had BA.2 — a sub-variant of Omicron — beforehand had BA.1 or a earlier an infection, just like the Delta variant.
This aligns with latest research completed in England that counsel 10 per cent of reported instances are reinfections.
"That reveals simply since you obtained Omicron as soon as does not imply you are bulletproof now," Shahab stated.
Not all provinces publicly report reinfection charges. Nonetheless, in Ontario, public well being says almost 12,000 folks have gotten COVID-19 twice since November 2020 with the present threat of reinfection deemed "excessive."
Quebec's Nationwide Institute of Public Well being says the variety of presumed reinfections has elevated tremendously in its province since Omicron arrived.
In a January report, Quebec reported 32 reinfections for each 1,000 main infections, with almost 9,000 folks suspected of getting reinfected since Could of 2020.
Nazeem Muhajarine, an epidemiologist on the College of Saskatchewan, stated in contrast to different variants Omicron is a lot better at working round immunity that is both induced by vaccines or earlier infections.
"Not solely is it in a position to escape immunity, however it's occurring at a time the place folks's immunity is waning," Muhajarine stated, including it has been three to 5 months since most Canadians have accomplished their two-dose vaccine sequence.
"It is a bit of a double jeopardy there, and that is why we're seeing so many extra reinfections with Omicron."
Well being officers proceed to counsel that individuals full their two-dose COVID-19 vaccine sequence and get boosted with a 3rd dose and, if eligible, a fourth shot.
"Vaccines actually work effectively towards extreme outcomes" like hospitalization and loss of life, stated Shahab.
"Though you bought COVID in some unspecified time in the future previously, you possibly can wait anyplace from two weeks to a few months to get a booster."
Nationwide, about 47 per cent of eligible folks have obtained a 3rd dose, says the Public Well being Company of Canada.
Regardless of getting COVID-19 twice, Enns stated she is going to get a second booster if she turns into eligible.
"I really feel if I did not have the vaccinations, I would positively be within the hospital," stated Enns, who is taken into account at-risk as a result of she has Kind 2 diabetes and bronchial asthma.
Enns recalled figuring out an unvaccinated one who died alone in hospital because of COVID-19, calling the expertise "terrible."
"You suppose, 'That may very well be me.' However I am not. I am at dwelling and sick, however I am going to stay."
This report by The Canadian Press was first revealed April 11, 2022.
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