Why TF Do I Keep Getting COVID?

The hottest winter accessory these days? A positive COVID-19 test. But wait... we got vaccinated last year. And the year before. Ad infinitum. Wasn't that supposed to stop this from happening? Turns out, the virus still has some tricks up its sleeve, giving our immune systems a run for their money. Exhibit A: This sneaky mf'er can transform faster than an Animorph.

"We're now five years in and still seeing new variants and subvariants of COVID-19," says Rebecca Choudhury, MD, infectious disease physician and assistant professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Right now, believe it or not, we are still at the mercy of the Omicron variant, Dr. Choudhury says. Even though it first broke onto the scene in 2022, we now know that this persistent bug can mutate into subvariants that are able to evade the immune system. The subvariants we're up against now are more contagious than the original COVID-19 virus from 2019 and 2020, but thankfully tend to cause milder symptoms.

So, like the Sex and the City reboot, it's a twist on the original that no one asked for. At least we sort of know what to expect: "All the things that increased your risk of getting COVID-19 the first time increase your chances of getting it again," Choudhury confirms.

Omicron is extra hot on the heels of anyone who hasn't gotten this year's COVID-19 booster shot, she adds. Vaccine immunity lasts about six months, though it can vary from person to person. So, if you're due for a boost, now's a good time to get it. In fact, you might as well just start penciling it in as an annual thing, like your yearly flu shot, since the virus mutates. (That bastard.)

"Like influenza, we see different versions of COVID circulating each year," says Choudhury. "The most recent COVID vaccine protects against subvariants that weren't here last year, but it's impossible to predict what we'll see down the line."

Another reason for reinfection? Your immune system may not have returned to your baseline after getting hit the first (or second, or third) time. As a result, your armor may already be a bit down. Choudhury says that researchers are investigating who this is most likely to happen to and if genes play a role. Soon, we may be able to predict who's at severe risk for COVID and even long COVID.

If you have a chronic medical condition, like diabetes or hypertension, your immune system may already be more vulnerable to the disease. Same if you are one of the poor unfortunate souls who gets COVID on top of another virus, like RSV or the flu. "These viruses can run in packs," Choudhury says. "COVID and influenza together is something we deal with pretty frequently."

In fact, we're currently in what many physicians call a quad-demic: COVID-19, RSV, the flu, and norovirus. Isn't that fantastic?

The good (ish) news is that these bugs are spread in similar ways, so by warding off one, you're warding off them all. Your best defenses are washing your hands, covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze (into your elbow, not your hand), and being smart about large gatherings. If you've been hit again, rest, hydrate, and stay home. Call your doctor if you start experiencing "symptoms that make you feel unsafe or uncomfortable caring for yourself at home," Choudhury says, like shortness of breath or a very high fever. A fever of 102? That's high. 104 or higher? Get medical attention ASAP.

You've heard it before, but we'll say it again: Prevention really is the best medicine.

"My biggest piece of advice is to get your routine vaccines and continue to do all the normal infection prevention-related things," Choudhury says. "That's good advice not just for COVID but also the many nasty respiratory viruses going around."