Vaccination Reduces Chance of Getting Long COVID, Studies Say

Feb. 16, 2022

Vaccination towards COVID-19 reduces the chance of creating lengthy COVID and improves lengthy COVID signs amongst those that had been unvaccinated when contaminated, in keeping with a brand new complete evaluation by the U.Okay. Health Security Agency.

The evaluation contains knowledge from 15 U.Okay. and worldwide research, with seven research inspecting whether or not COVID-19 vaccination earlier than an infection protects towards creating lengthy COVID and 7 research wanting on the influence of vaccination amongst individuals who already had lengthy COVID. One examine examined each.

In six research, those that obtained one or two vaccine doses earlier than coronavirus an infection had been much less prone to develop signs of lengthy COVID after an infection.

In two research, totally vaccinated individuals had been much less probably than unvaccinated individuals to develop medium- or long-term signs comparable to fatigue, headache, weak point within the legs and arms, persistent muscle ache, hair loss, dizziness, shortness of breath, lack of odor or lung scarring.

In addition, three research evaluating lengthy COVID signs earlier than and after vaccination discovered that most individuals reported an enchancment in signs after vaccination, both instantly or over a number of weeks. A couple of instances reported a worsening in signs after vaccination.

“There is also evidence that unvaccinated people with long COVID who were subsequently vaccinated had, on average, reduced long COVID symptoms, or fewer long COVID symptoms than those who remained unvaccinated,” the evaluation mentioned.

Scientists aren’t but positive why vaccination results in an enchancment in signs for some individuals, in keeping with The Guardian. Additional analysis is being performed.

“The term ‘long COVID’ covers a wide range of post-COVID conditions and so we don’t yet fully understand all the processes involved,” Deborah Dunn-Walters, chair of the British Society for Immunology’s COVID-19 Taskforce, advised the Science Media Centre.

“The immune system is thought to play a role in symptom development in a significant number of cases, likely as a result of an overreactive and/or slightly misdirected immune response during the acute COVID infection,” she mentioned.