Response to case comparisons and a new definition of disease-free status.

In this commentary, the authors juxtapose two recently published case reports of possible COVID-19 reinfection, and in doing so make an important point about approaches to differentiate true COVID-19 reinfection from prolonged viral shedding. They use a case report to highlight the utility of whole genome sequencing and biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP) to identify cases of true reinfection. This is an important topic as debate surrounding the possibility of COVID-19 reinfection is at the forefront of conversations about limiting global disease spread. We agree with the authors that this is an important area for future work. Defining reliable strategies for differentiating COVID-19 reinfection from viral shedding will be beneficial in medical settings worldwide.

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Declaration of Competing Interest

The authors report no conflict of interest.