DO YOU NEED 3RD SHOT IF INFECTED AFTER VAX?: We definitely know exposure after vaccination (like in the Provincetown outbreak) stimulates both antibodies/T cells to the variant you see. Exposure after vax will happen (not deliberately); would not boost with 3rd dose if happens
Your B cells will actually adapt antibodies if they see virus again to that variant so those in the P-town outbreak study above had delta variant-specific antibodies (including those in nose, IgA, and blood/respiratory tract, IgG)
P-town study above shows BOTH antibodies and CD4 cells (these are T cells) increase with the exposure and the antibodies are directed against not just the spike protein but other parts of the virus
And here is the figure showing the increase in T cells (CD4 and CD8) with exposure after vaccination (stronger than Moderna booster so would not get 3rd dose if exposed after 2-dose mRNA vaccine- this is hybrid immunity)
This is why T cells get us to "control" but it is antibodies that prevent transmission - the IgA in nose during surges limit transmission and the surge comes down.
And this is why I recommend 1 dose after natural infection as the hybrid immunity can go either way
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