Repeat COVID-19 Infection Increases Risk Of Acute Outcomes, Long COVID Symptoms, Study Shows

According to a report published in Nature Medicine, COVID-19-reinfected patients had a more than doubled risk of death and a more than tripled risk of hospitalization compared with those who were infected with COVID just once.
The findings were drawn from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) data collected from March 2020 through April 2022 on 443,588 patients with one infection, 40,947 with two or more infections, and 5.3 million noninfected individuals.
"Even if one had a prior infection and was vaccinated - meaning they had double immunity from prior infection plus vaccines - they are still susceptible to adverse outcomes upon reinfection," Al-Aly, the study leader, said.
The study also showed that people with repeat infection were more than three times more likely to develop lung problems, three times more likely to suffer heart conditions, and 60% more likely to experience neurological disorders than patients who had been infected only once.
Researchers found that the higher risks were most pronounced in the first month after reinfection but were still evident six months later.
The researchers also said that the Veterans Affairs population, which consists of mostly older people, may not be representative of the general population.
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