A video clip has resurfaced that features Dr. Anthony Fauci in a 2004 interview saying that a recent influenza infection provides sufficient protection to skip the flu shot. Vaccine opponents are using the clip to claim that reliance on “natural immunity” should apply to COVID-19 vaccines. COVID-19 and the flu are not the same disease and should not be treated as such. Health authorities recommend COVID-19 vaccination for people who have recovered from COVID-19 because the vaccine provides more reliable protection. Among people who have had COVID-19, those who are vaccinated are significantly less likely to be reinfected than those who remain unvaccinated.
Recommendation:
Passive Response Read More +
Emphasizing that the flu and COVID-19 are different illnesses, and that the vaccine recommendations and other suggested protective measures are therefore different for each illness, is recommended. Emphasizing that there is no safe way to acquire natural immunity is also recommended. While a COVID-19 infection can provide protection, vaccine-acquired immunity is more reliable and a lot less risky. Fact Checking Source(s):
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