Two doses of COVID-19 vaccine may protect against long COVID

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

In a new study from Bar-Ilan University, researchers found a major reduction in the most commonly-reported long-term symptoms of COVID-19 among individuals vaccinated with two doses and infected with the virus.

Those vaccinated and infected individuals reported no more of these symptoms than individuals who were never infected with the virus.

These findings suggest that two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine protect against long COVID. These results were not found in individuals who received just a single dose.

In the study, the team tested over 3,000 participants.

They showed a 50-80% reduction in seven of the ten most commonly reported long-term symptoms, such as fatigue, headache, weakness and muscle pain, four to 11 months after infection among vaccinated cases compared with unvaccinated ones.

These vaccinated cases were no more likely to report these symptoms than people who reported never having been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The team says not only that vaccinated people were experiencing much fewer long COVID symptoms than unvaccinated people, but that they did not report any more symptoms than people never infected.

This study is the first of comprehensive research on a large group of patients — both infected and non-infected with COVID-19 – whose the team will continue to analyze over the coming years to understand the long-term impact of COVID-19.

The finding that vaccination is likely to protect against long COVID may encourage countries to expand their vaccination drives, and persuade individuals not yet vaccinated to exercise their right to get vaccinated.

If you care about COVID, please read studies about novel vaccine method to prevent COVID-19 infection, and two paths toward ‘super immunity’ to COVID-19.

For more information about health, please see recent studies about antibodies that can neutralize Omicron, and results showing this drug treatment may prevent COVID death and lung damage.

The study was reported on the medRxiv and was conducted by Prof. Michael Edelstein et al.

Copyright © 2022 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.