SARS-CoV-2 Reinfection Cases in a Household-Based Prospective Cohort in Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

This was a household-based prospective cohort study conducted in Rio de Janeiro, in which people with laboratory-confirmed Covid-19 and their household contacts were followed from April 2020 through June 2022. Ninety-eight reinfections were identified, with 71 (72.5%) confirmed by genomic analyses and lineage definition in both infections. During the pre-Omicron period, one dose of any Covid-19 vaccine was associated with a reduced risk of reinfection, but during the Omicron period not even booster vaccines had this effect. Most reinfections were asymptomatic or milder in comparison with primary infections, a justification for continuing active surveillance to detect infections in vaccinated individuals. Our findings demonstrated that vaccination may not prevent infection or reinfection with SARS CoV-2, then we highlight the need to continuously update the antigenic target of SARS CoV-2 vaccines and administer booster doses to the population regularly, a strategy well established in the development of vaccines for influenza immunization programs.