Topline
Getting vaccinated after a coronavirus an infection may slash the danger of growing lengthy Covid, based on a brand new examine published Wednesday within the British Medical Journal, a potential glimmer of hope for growing future therapies for the tens of millions of individuals nonetheless struggling signs months and even years after contracting the virus.
Vaccination after an infection may probably decrease the danger of lengthy Covid, researchers discovered.
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Key Info
Individuals who have been vaccinated after being contaminated with Covid have been much less prone to report lingering signs weeks and months after an infection, based on information from the U.Okay.’s Workplace of Nationwide Statistics.
The percentages of reporting lengthy Covid dropped by 13% after the primary vaccine dose, based on the peer reviewed examine, which examined information from greater than 28,000 adults vaccinated after an infection.
The percentages dropped an extra 9% after the second dose, the researchers discovered, and this enchancment lasted for at the very least the 9 week interval when the researchers adopted up with sufferers.
The researchers discovered no variations in danger throughout numerous demographic teams, the kind of vaccine used, time from Covid an infection to getting vaccinated or different well being elements, which they mentioned bolster the findings.
Because the examine was observational, it doesn’t show the vaccines have been immediately accountable for the lowered danger of lengthy Covid, the researchers mentioned, although it does counsel vaccination could possibly be helpful in decreasing the burden of the poorly understood situation.
The researchers known as for extra analysis exploring the connection between vaccination and lengthy Covid on an extended time scale, notably the danger after an infection with the omicron variant, and the impact of booster doses.
What We Don’t Know
What causes lengthy Covid. It’s not properly understood why some individuals expertise Covid signs for weeks, months and even years after an infection, which may have an effect on virtually any a part of the physique. In a linked editorial, researchers mentioned scientists are exploring numerous potential explanations, together with issues with the immune system and components of the virus remaining within the physique.
Key Background
Lengthy Covid is a broad, catch-all time period to cowl the big range of signs some individuals report after having Covid-19. Signs can have an effect on practically any organ system within the physique, together with the kidneys, coronary heart, lungs and mind, and commonly embrace fatigue, muscle ache, mind fog and respiratory issues. Its emergence was one thing of a surprise for many consultants within the early levels of the pandemic and docs are nonetheless choosing aside the character of the situation and its causes. Vaccines are identified to slash the danger of growing lengthy Covid, in addition to catching Covid within the first place, when given earlier than an infection however their skill to mitigate danger or ease signs afterwards is much less clear. There are not any therapies out there for lengthy Covid, and higher understanding of the mechanisms concerned—each what causes lengthy Covid and why vaccines seem to scale back the danger of growing it—can be useful in signposting instructions in the direction of future therapies.
Huge Quantity
24 million. That’s what number of People could possibly be affected by lengthy Covid. Consultants estimate between 10% and 30% of sufferers will expertise lengthy Covid after recovering from an infection. As greater than 80 million Covid-19 instances have been documented within the U.S. thus far, this implies between 8 and 24 million individuals could possibly be struggling or have suffered from the situation.
Additional Studying
Right here Is What One Million Covid Deaths In The U.S. Seems to be Like (Forbes)
Unvaccinated Extra Possible To Get Lengthy Covid—And Endure Signs For Longer—Research Discover (Forbes)
Right here’s What We Know About Lengthy Covid, The Debilitating, Lingering Sickness That May Have an effect on Hundreds of thousands (Forbes)
The pandemic’s true health cost: how much of our lives has COVID stolen? (Nature)
How Often Can You Be Infected With the Coronavirus? (NYT)
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