Newshub investigations reporter Michael Morrah has revealed his experience catching COVID-19 twice within a matter of months.
Morrah said he was first infected earlier this year and thought he was "invincible" after catching it.
But about three and a half months later, after his daughters became infected, Morrah said he tested positive again.
Morrah, appearing on AM's panel on Friday, said it was important for people to realise they can become infected a second time.
"I guess I was a bit surprised," Morrah said of being reinfected.
"When I got COVID for the first time I thought, 'Brilliant, it's done and I'm a bit invincible now.' Then, about three and a half months later, the girls were very unwell… a few days later I returned a very, very faint positive."
Experts have said it remained unclear how long immunity lasted after being infected with the Omicron COVID-19 variant, but recent findings suggested people infected with the earliest version of the Omicron strain may be vulnerable to later versions. That includes the Omicron BA.5 sublineage - which is predicted to become the dominant strain in New Zealand in the coming weeks.
Morrah said that reinforced why COVID-19 Response Minister Ayesha Verrall on Thursday announced changes to testing for reinfection.
"I think it's important for people to realise that is a reality and, in fact - reinfections are going to become even more of a reality."
Previously, people who developed COVID-like symptoms within three months of infection did not have to seek testing. Dr Verrall on Thursday said the Government was reducing that requirement to one month, "based on the latest international evidence and the need to isolate quickly people with reinfections".
Household contacts who have had COVID-19 within 90 days did not need to isolate unless they develop symptoms, Dr Verrall said.
