Should I get a vaccination in France if I have already had Covid-19?

Reader question: I caught Covid-19 in February this year. Should I still go and get a vaccination or am I already immune?

French health body the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS) recommends that anyone who has already had Covid-19 and has a positive test to prove it should only receive one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

“As the person has already developed immunological memory while having the virus, the single vaccine dose will act as a booster,” the HAS stated.

It recommends waiting at least three months since you tested positive before getting a vaccination, and preferably closer to six months.

If you go to get vaccinated less than three months after your positive test, you will in most instances be advised by a medical professional - at the vaccination centre, pharmacy or GP practice - to re-book your appointment for a later date.

When you go to get vaccinated you should bring with you proof of a positive Covid-19 test if you have one.

Three of the four vaccines being used in France usually require two doses, those of Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and AstraZeneca. Only the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine requires one dose in all cases.

There is no health danger to getting vaccinated shortly after having Covid-19. The three-month rule is in place to maximise the efficiency of the vaccine.

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