When I first read the 2022 Nature paper on the risks of COVID-19 reinfection, I thought it was a solid, well-constructed study. They analyzed outcomes across nearly 5.8 million U.S. veterans and concluded that reinfection carried added risks—hospitalization, long-term organ damage, and death—regardless of vaccination status.
That statement is true. But I’ve come to realize it may not be the truth.
Because buried in the details of that paper was something I initially missed. And now that I’ve seen it, I can’t unsee it.
The Question We Forgot to Ask
Since 2020, my work has focused on autoimmunity and how SARS-CoV-2 may trigger immune responses that turn on the body, particularly via ACE2, the very receptor the virus uses to enter cells. I proposed early on that when free-floating ACE2 binds to the viral spike in circulation, it could prime the immune system to attack ACE2-rich organs: the lungs, heart, kidneys, and brain.
Post was censored on LinkedIn for misinformation
Now, let’s forget the autoimmunity hypothesis for a moment and just stick with what’s widely accepted: in severe COVID-19, the immune system is the problem, not the virus. The cytokine storm causes the immune system going into overdrive which kills people, not the viral load itself.
So here’s the basic question that should have shaped the pandemic response:
Should you further stimulate the immune system with vaccines after someone has already had moderate to severe COVID-19?
Thursday 26th June, 2025 at 7PM UK time
The Data Speaks — But Not Loud Enough
The study looked at three groups: those with no vaccines, those with one vaccine, and those with two or more. Each group had been infected, recovered, and then reinfected. All had a chance to demonstrate immunity. But what happened after that second infection?
