Infectious diseases doctor says when booster is still needed after testing positive for Covid

A Queensland infectious diseases expert says while catching Covid-19 can provide a degree of immunity, people should still get a booster – but the timing needs to be right.

Queensland’s leading infectious disease expert has urged those who’ve already caught the virus to still get their booster, but advised they wait a month or longer.

After catching Covid-19, people should wait until they’re fully recovered before getting their vaccine or booster, according to Dr Paul Griffin.

“The minimum duration after you’ve had Covid, before you get any of your vaccine or boosters, is definitely to wait until your fully recovered and ideally a month or greater,” Dr Griffin said on 4BC on Tuesday morning.

“It’s okay to push that booster back probably a few months to be honest.”

He said that becoming infected with Covid-19 has been shown to improve immunity and acted as a booster shot, “to a degree”.

However, reports from the Gold Coast have shown people partaking in “Covid parties” in an attempt to catch the virus to improve their immunity against it.

These were recently slammed by the chief health officer Dr John Gerrard as “utterly ridiculous”.

“The best way to get immunity to this virus is through vaccination, not through these parties,” Dr Gerrard said.

“Please, please stop.”

Originally published as Infectious diseases doctor says when booster is still needed after testing positive for Covid