The risk of long Covid is reduced by 50% with vaccination- edited by Aishee Biswas

According to the largest study of its kind,  getting vaccinated against the SARS-CoV-2 virus can cut people's risk of developing long Covid in half .  The research, which was published in JAMA Internal Medicine, also identified various risk factors associated with the long-term symptoms of Covid-19.

 

The study analyzed over 860,000 patients and found that overweight individuals, women, smokers, and those over the age of 40 are more likely to experience long Covid. The University of East Anglia (UEA) researchers also discovered that comorbidities such as asthma, COPD, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, immunosuppression, anxiety, and depression are linked to an increased risk of long Covid.

 

Additionally, patients who were hospitalized during their acute Covid-19 infection are more likely to develop long Covid. "Long Covid is a complex condition that can occur during or after having Covid, and it is classified as such when symptoms persist for more than 12 weeks," said Professor Vassilios Vassiliou from UEA and Norwich University Hospital. Common symptoms of long Covid include breathlessness, cough, heart palpitations, headaches, severe fatigue, chest pain or tightness, brain fog, insomnia, dizziness, joint pain, depression, anxiety, tinnitus, loss of appetite, and changes to the sense of smell or taste, according to Vassiliou.

 

According to  the largest study of its kind, vaccination against the SARS-CoV-2 virus can reduce the risk of developing long Covid by 50% . The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, also identifies the risk factors associated with long Covid, including being overweight, female, a smoker, or over the age of 40. The research conducted by the University of East Anglia also found that comorbidities such as asthma, COPD, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, immunosuppression, anxiety, and depression can increase the risk of long Covid. Additionally, patients hospitalized during their acute Covid-19 infection are more likely to experience long Covid.

Long Covid can have varying symptoms, including breathlessness, cough, heart palpitations, headaches, and severe fatigue. Professor Vassilios Vassiliou from UEA and Norwich University Hospital noted that other common symptoms include chest pain or tightness, brain fog, insomnia, dizziness, joint pain, depression, anxiety, tinnitus, loss of appetite, headaches, and changes in sense of smell or taste.

The study aims to define the demographic characteristics and risk factors for developing long Covid, which can help authorities develop a better strategy for optimizing modifiable risk factors. This can be achieved through public health promotion campaigns that encourage smoking cessation, healthy weight management, and vaccination in the target population, as per the researchers' recommendation.