Yes, you can catch Omicron twice, or even multiple times, as variants constantly evolve, and immunity from a prior infection wanes or isn't always strong enough to prevent reinfection with a newer Omicron subvariant. While tests don't typically distinguish variants, reinfections with Omicron (or other COVID strains) are common, although the severity might differ from your first infection.
Omicron variants have continued to evolve and dominate. If you got COVID-19 in 2022 or 2023, whether it was your first infection or not, it was most likely an Omicron variant. There's no reason to believe you can't get Omicron twice or more, but you probably won't know for sure.
As the virus evolves, new variants with the ability to evade your existing immunity can appear. This can increase your risk of reinfection. Reinfection can occur as early as several weeks after a previous infection, although this is rare.
Can you get COVID twice in a month? This is very unlikely, but in theory it's possible. People at highest risk for getting a reinfection so quickly are those who have health conditions that weaken their immune system.
However, studies have shown the virus can last about two days on some fabrics. It's unlikely you'll get COVID from your bedding, though. Just be sure to wash your bedding if you or anyone in your household has COVID, and disinfect your home's surfaces. How long COVID can live on other surfaces?
Can you reinfect yourself with items such as a toothbrush or a reusable water bottle? Consider this information. Toothbrushes — It is recommended that you replace your toothbrush after an illness due to the chance of becoming reinfected, but professionals agree this isn't typically true for viruses.
Throw out all of the trash.
For anyone who is ill in your home, try dedicating a lined trash can for that one person's use. It's a good idea (and a CDC precaution for all cleaning and disinfecting during a time of virus) to wear gloves when you are removing or handling any trash bags.
The immune response from a COVID-19 infection usually tamps down after 3-4 months, says Kawsar Talaat, MD, a vaccinologist and associate professor in the Department of International Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland.
The rebound COVID timeline varies nonetheless. So, it's also possible to experience COVID rebound after 2 weeks.
Can you be contagious after a negative COVID test? If you test negative with a PCR test, you are likely not contagious. But if you test negative with an at-home test, the answer will depend in part “on whether the negative COVID test is at the beginning of feeling sick or on the way to recovery,” Mina says.
People who are active in highly dense populations are at an elevated risk of exposure to repeat COVID infections—especially those who are immunocompromised, elderly, carry certain chronic illnesses and/or are unvaccinated.
Many people gain protection against another infection (reinfection) for several months. But this natural immunity lessens as time passes. If you have a weakened immune system, your body may not build up effective natural immunity after an infection. So, you may get sick again sooner than others would.
Otherwise, wait five to seven days. COVID-19's incubation period lasts up to 14 days. If you have the virus, it takes time to build up in your system. Early testing can result in samples that don't contain enough of the virus' genetic material to show a positive result.
But an unlucky group has been hit with reinfection after reinfection. “I've seen a few patients with five infections,” said Dr. Grace McComsey, vice dean for clinical and translational research at Case Western University. “Sadly, they were immunized and they still got Covid five times.”
Since August 24, 2025, a total of 33,059 COVID-19 detections have been reported (from 434,597 tests). A total of 25,497 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 detections with age information have been reported. Individulas aged 65+ years reported the highest proportion of all detections (59%) (Figure 5).
Other evidence suggests that SARS-CoV-2 reinfection increases risk of postacute, multiorgan sequelae up to 6 months after reinfection, compared with a single infection [5]. Our study extends these findings by examining the relationship between reinfection and common long COVID symptoms.
People can be reinfected with SARS-CoV-2 multiple times. Each time a person is infected with SARS-CoV-2, they have a risk of developing Long COVID. Long COVID symptoms and conditions can emerge, persist, resolve, and reemerge over weeks and months.
What are the most common symptoms of long COVID?
June 26, 2025 – The new COVID-19 variant that now makes up about a third of U.S. COVID cases has a signature symptom: a painful sore throat that feels like "razor blades." "This 'razor blade sore throat' was reported as a common symptom in China," where the variant first emerged in May, said Matthew S.
COVID-19 infection—even mild cases—can cause substantial long-term changes in the immune system that may be implicated in long COVID, concludes a new observational study by Medical University of Vienna (MUV) researchers published in Allergy.
Virus persists up to two years in tissue
They detected portions of viral RNA for up to two years after infection, although there was no evidence that the person had become reinfected.
One of the most talked-about emerging strains this year is the NB.1.8.1 variant, part of the Omicron family. While current evidence suggests it is not more severe than previous variants, it is spreading quickly and causing concern due to its highly contagious nature.
Soak: Soak the bristles in an antimicrobial mouthwash or hydrogen peroxide solution for a few minutes. Rinse Again: Rinse the toothbrush under running water again to remove the disinfecting solution. Air Dry: Place your toothbrush in an upright position to air dry.
Cardboard. The New England Journal of Medicine recently published a study that tested how long the Coronavirus can remain stable on different kinds of surfaces within a controlled laboratory setting. They found that it was still detectable on cardboard for up to 24 hours.
The flu virus can live on clothing like gloves and scarves for two or three days, while diarrhea-causing viruses, such as rotavirus and norovirus, may thrive for as many as four weeks.