A recent study suggests that people who are vaccinated against Covid-19 are less prone to develop long Covid if infected with the virus.

The UK Health Security Agency data review also underlined that being vaccinated against Covid-19 may reduce severity of symptoms in those already experiencing long Covid symptoms. The study included reviewing of evidence taken from 15 studies of the condition and what effect does it have by vaccination. 

Two of these studies found that a lesser number of fully vaccinated people developed the medium or long-term symptoms that are known to be associated with long Covid, like headaches, fatigue and dizziness. “There is also evidence that unvaccinated people with long Covid who were subsequently vaccinated had, on average, reduced long Covid symptoms, or fewer long Covid symptoms than those who remained unvaccinated,” the review said.

Even though a link between vaccination and decreased long Covid symptoms has been established, the reason for the same hasn’t been cleared. However, many theories are postulated. One such theory says that the vaccine deletes all viral fragments in the system that is the reason of ongoing inflammation. Another theory suggests that it acts as an immune counterbalance in individuals whose symptoms have an autoimmune etiology.

The latter hypothesis can explain why some people who participated in the studies experienced worse long Covid symptoms after receiving vaccine, according to Deborah Dunn-Walters, chair of the British Society for Immunology Covid-19 taskforce, who is also a professor of immunology at the University of Surrey. "[It} re-emphasises the importance of everyone, no matter their age, getting vaccinated against Covid-19," she said.

"Although there has been a high uptake of the vaccines in the UK so far, a significant number of people still need to come forward for a first or second dose. We must continue to make every effort to reach these people and encourage them to come forward for Covid-19 vaccination.”

Her rallying call was reverberated by Prof Stephen Powis, the national medical director of NHS England. “With more than 10,000 people in hospital with Covid [in the UK], this study is a timely and important reminder that vaccines remain our best protection against the virus, reducing the chances of becoming seriously unwell as well as the effects of long Covid,” he said.

Source: The National News

Link: https://www.thenationalnews.com/coronavirus/2022/02/16/vaccines-found-to-protect-against-long-covid/