Question: I was vaccinated in April/May.  My husband and kids got COVID in April/May – I did not.  I got COVID in October, my family – despite being around me and on top of me at all times, did not. I think it’s fair to say their COVID antibodies worked longer than my vaccine.  I know you are not a doctor, but are they saying how long you should wait to get a booser after getting COVID? Or if you should even get the booster?  

Answer: I hope you’re feeling better! There’s a lot to unpack in your questions, but I’ll try to make it short.  

• First, recent evidence shows that vaccination + previous infection is more protective against breakthrough infection than vaccination alone.  In that respect, assuming your husband was also vaccinated, he would have been better protected than you when you became sick in October.  Here it’s not necessarily the antibodies from infection that worked longer, but the combination of antibodies post-infection plus antibodies post-vaccination that proved more protective.  
• Second, while it’s possible that vaccinated people experiencing breakthrough infections may be contagious, data increasingly indicate that onward transmission is likely much lower from breakthrough infections as compared with transmission from unvaccinated individuals.  When it comes to your kids, I don’t think we can definitively say that their antibodies from infection worked longer– it could also be that you were not very infectious.
• In terms of when you should get your booster shot, you can receive the vaccine anytime after you recover from COVID [note: if you took monoclonal antibodies for treatment, CDC recommends deferring vaccination for 90 days].  We don’t have data supporting a “best time” to get boosted post-breakthrough infection.  On this count, I suggest you talk with your doctor.