Vaccination may lower risk of ‘long COVID’ studies say — but experts aren’t so sure
Global News
There is some evidence to suggest COVID-19 vaccines can lower the risk of long-lasting symptoms among breakthrough cases, but the jury is still out, experts say.
If you are vaccinated against COVID-19, there is still a possibility of infection, but a lower risk of severe sickness, or of developing long-lasting symptoms from the disease, according to experts and research.
A new preprint study — not yet peer-reviewed — from Israel published online Monday suggested that COVID-19 vaccination may have a protective effect against “long COVID” in addition to reducing the risk of acute illness.
“Vaccination with at least two doses of COVID-19 vaccine was associated with a substantial decrease in reporting the most common post-acute COVID-19 symptoms,” the study authors said.
The study included more than 3,000 individuals who filled out an online questionnaire. Among the 637 vaccinated people who got COVID-19, they were less likely to report symptoms of fatigue, headache, weakness and persistent muscle pain compared to those who were unvaccinated and infected, the study said.
More than two years into the pandemic, experts are still trying to determine the impact of long COVID — when symptoms last at least a month after a person is diagnosed with COVID-19 — and learn how to help people suffering from it. Those people are often referred to as COVID long haulers.
While the research — including this latest study — looking at the effectiveness of vaccinations on long-term symptoms is encouraging, experts say it remains inconclusive.
“I think there is a suggestion that those who are fully vaccinated are less likely to develop long COVID,” said Dr. Janna Williams, an infectious diseases specialist at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago.
This is because if you are fully immunized, the chances of contracting COVID-19 are reduced and since vaccines are highly effective at preventing severe disease, there is a smaller likelihood of developing debilitating symptoms that are associated with long COVID, she explained.
