Virologist Sabra Klein, PhD ‘98, MS, MA, says an immense amount of data collected in a short time have made clear the safety and effectiveness of vaccines and the limited immunity that comes from being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Klein is co-director of a new National Cancer Institute Center of Excellence that seeks to understand more about the diversity of immune responses and how sex, age, and other factors lead some people to have longer lasting immunity than others.
In the following Q&A, the Molecular Microbiology and Immunology professor explains the nitty gritty of vaccines, coronavirus infections, and how to best protect yourself. Spoiler alert: Klein is a big vaccine fan.
If someone has had COVID-19, why should they get vaccinated? Don’t they already have immunity?
If you’ve been infected, you have some protection. But that immunity has limits. The biggest limit is that it doesn’t last as long as we would like it to.