[ti:Study: Repeat COVID Infection Is Riskier than First] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]A new study has found that the risk of death, [00:04.12]hospitalization and serious health issues from COVID-19 [00:09.52]increases with reinfection regardless of vaccination. [00:14.64]The study examined U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs data [00:19.44]collected from March 1, 2020 through April 6, 2022. [00:25.92]It included information on 443,588 patients [00:32.48]with one SARS-CoV-2 infection, [00:35.72]40,947 with two or more infections, [00:41.40]and 5.3 million who were not infected. [00:45.36]Most of the study subjects were male. [00:49.36]"Reinfection with COVID-19 increases the risk [00:53.20]of both acute outcomes and long COVID," [00:56.60]said Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly [00:58.72]of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. [01:03.16]He added that this was clear "in unvaccinated, [01:06.88]vaccinated and boosted people." [01:10.16]Reinfected patients had a doubled risk of death [01:14.32]and a tripled risk of hospitalization [01:17.48]compared with individuals infected only once. [01:21.44]The patients also had increased risks [01:24.44]for a number of other health problems, [01:27.16]the study, reported in Nature Medicine, found. [01:32.04]The problems affected the lungs, heart, [01:35.24]blood, kidneys, bones and muscles. [01:39.60]Reinfection also increased the risk of mental health, [01:43.72]brain and nerve disorders. [01:46.88]"Even if one had prior infection and was vaccinated [01:51.24]- meaning they had double immunity from prior infection plus vaccines [01:56.40]- they are still susceptible to adverse outcomes upon reinfection," [02:01.44]said Al-Aly. He was the lead writer of the study. [02:06.00]Susceptible means easily affected or harmed by something. [02:10.68]People with repeat infections [02:13.20]were three times more likely to develop lung problems, [02:17.04]three times more likely to suffer heart conditions [02:20.88]and 60 percent more likely to have brain [02:24.00]or nerve disorders, the study found. [02:27.16]The risks were highest in the first month after reinfection [02:31.84]but were still clear six months later. [02:34.96]The total risks of repeat infection [02:38.40]increased with the number of infections, [02:41.24]even after examining differences in COVID-19 variants [02:45.68]such as Delta, Omicron and BA.5, the researchers said. [02:51.80]"We had started seeing a lot of patients [02:54.60]coming to the clinic with an air of invincibility," Al-Aly told Reuters. [03:00.68]"They wondered, 'Does getting a reinfection really matter?' [03:04.64]The answer is yes, it absolutely does." [03:08.20]He added that ahead of a season that often [03:11.48]involves travel and indoor gatherings, [03:14.48]people should be aware that reinfection is serious [03:18.08]and should take steps to avoid getting infected. [03:21.48]Al-Aly explained that researchers are not suggesting serious measures, [03:26.88]"but maybe if you're going on a plane, wear a mask." [03:30.76]Or, if a person is in a food store, [03:33.96]"consider that the person near you may have a weak immune system, [03:38.28]and if you wear a mask you might help to protect them," he said. [03:44.00]I'm John Russell. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM