With treatment options for long COVID still limited and new symptoms coming to light all the time… we’re curious to know whether vaccines offer protection against long COVID?
Most people make a full recovery from a COVID-19 infection, while for some, the symptoms can last weeks or even months, a condition known as long COVID.
Photo via Harvard Gazette
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), long COVID is defined as a condition that occurs in individuals with a history of probable or confirmed COVID-19 infection, usually three months from the onset of COVID-19 with symptoms that lasts for at least two months and can’t be explained by an alternative diagnosis.
It is estimated that up to one in 10 people who get infected with COVID-19 will suffer symptoms of long COVID.
According to Al-Jazeera, the symptoms of long COVID can vary and many are still coming to light. The most common symptoms include extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, poor memory, joint pains, headaches, depression, anxiety, nerve pain, loss of sense of smell and taste, abdominal pain, loose motions and sickness.
Scientists and medical experts are still looking into why some people develop long COVID while others don’t.
Well, there are currently more questions than answers when it comes to what caused long COVID, and treatment options are pretty limited! But with any disease, prevention is always better than cure!
For now, the vaccines do not completely remove the risk of contracting COVID-19, however, they have been shown to be effective in preventing serious illness from it.
According to The Lancet, being fully vaccinated does not reduce a person’s chances of getting long COVID. Out of 592 fully vaccinated people who continued to provide data for more than a month, 31 went on to get long COVID, which accounts for 5% of the cohort.
Photo via South China Morning Post
While in the unvaccinated group, this figure was about 11%, which indicates the vaccines were able to cut the risk of developing long COVID.
However, we still need more research and data on long COVID to actually know how we can prevent it!
Like we said before, prevention is always better than cure! So get yourself vaccinated, wear a face mask when you’re out in public, maintain physical distancing and wash your hands regularly!
Stay safe, guys!
By: Aishah Akashah Ahadiat
