Irrespective of COVID exposure, a recent study* involving 104 vaccinated individuals was conducted to determine antibody status. Comparisons were made between non-vaccinated individuals and those who were vaccinated with and without subsequent breakthrough infection. Both natural exposure and vaccination resulted in a similar antibody response. Natural exposure in vaccinated individuals predictably increases the humoral immune response, irrespective of the sequence of vaccination and exposure.
*Bates, T.A. et al Vaccination Before or After SARS-Cov-2 Leads to Robust Humoral Response and Antibodies that Effectively Neutralize Variants. Science Immunology doi:10.1126/sciimmunoll.abn8014Jan252022