A comprehensive study published in The BMJ reveals that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 before the first infection significantly lowers the risk of developing long COVID, also known as post-COVID-19 condition.
The research, utilizing data from over half a million Swedish adults, found that unvaccinated individuals were almost four times more likely to experience long COVID compared to those who had received the vaccine.
The study analyzed data from 589,722 adults in Sweden, tracking their health from their first COVID-19 infection until either a diagnosis of long COVID, vaccination, reinfection, death, emigration, or the end of the follow-up period.
Researchers considered various factors such as age, sex, pre-existing conditions, and virus variants.
The follow-up period averaged 129 days, with vaccinated individuals being followed for an average of 197 days compared to 112 days for unvaccinated individuals.
Key Findings: Vaccination’s Protective Effect
Out of the vaccinated group, only 0.4% were diagnosed with long COVID during the follow-up, compared to 1.4% of the unvaccinated group.
The study found that receiving one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine before infection reduced the risk of long COVID by 58%.
This protective effect increased with each additional dose: the first dose reduced the risk by 21%, two doses by 59%, and three or more doses by 73%.
Observational Study Limitations
While the study provides strong evidence of the benefits of vaccination, it is observational and cannot establish direct causality.
The research had limitations such as limited data on symptoms, the potential impact of reinfections, and expectations about the vaccine’s protective effect. However, the large scale and robust design of the study suggest that the findings are reliable.
Conclusion: Vaccination’s Crucial Role
This study underscores the importance of complete primary vaccination against COVID-19. Not only does it reduce the risk of severe acute COVID-19 infection, but it also significantly lowers the burden of post-COVID-19 condition in the population.
This research adds to the growing evidence of the relationship between the immune system and the development of post-viral conditions, emphasizing the critical importance of timely vaccination during pandemics.
If you care about long COVID, please read studies about Scientists find link between immune response and Long COVID and findings of Scientists find new way to restore sense of smell in people with long COVID.
For more information about COVID, please see recent studies that low-sodium plant-based diets may prevent COVID-19 better, and results showing zinc could help reduce COVID-19 infection risk.
The research findings can be found in The BMJ.
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