The Omicron Variant Reinfection Risk among Individuals with a Previous SARS-CoV-2 Infection within One Year in Shanghai, China: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Reinfection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants due to immune escape is challenging for the global response to the pandemic. We estimated the Omicron reinfection prevalence among people who had a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection in Shanghai, China. We conducted a telephone survey in December 2022 with those who had previously been infected with Omicron between March and May 2022. Information on their demographics, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) testing, and vaccination history was collected. The overall and subgroup reinfection rates were estimated and compared. Among the 1981 respondents who were infected between March and May 2022, 260 had positive nucleic acid or rapid antigen tests in December 2022, with an estimated reinfection rate of 13.1% (95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 11.6–14.6). The reinfection rate for those who had a booster vaccination was 11.4% (95% CI: 9.2–13.7), which was significantly lower than that for those with an incomplete vaccination series (15.2%, 95% CI: 12.3–18.1) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.579; 95% CI: 0.412–0.813). Reinfection with the Omicron variant was lower among individuals with a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection and those who had a booster vaccination, suggesting that hybrid immunity may offer protection against reinfection with Omicron sublineages.