Researchers in Israel have conducted a study showing that the immunity provided against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19) – is similar following natural infection or immunization with the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine.
The researchers from the Israel Institute of Technology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and Sheba Medical Center say the findings raise the question of whether it is necessary to vaccinate individuals who have previously been infected with SARS-CoV-2.
The team’s analysis of individual-level data for the entire population of Israel found that both prior infection and vaccination were highly effective at preventing subsequent SARS-CoV-2 infection, hospitalization due to COVID-19, and severe disease.
