New Studies Highlight Vaccines' Role in Preventing Long-Term Health Complications of COVID-19

St. Louis, Missouri United States of America
72% of the drop in long COVID rates during omicron was attributable to vaccines.
During the delta variant's reign, 53 cases per 1,000 vaccinated individuals developed long COVID up to a year after infection. During omicron's rule, only 35 cases per 1,000 vaccinated individuals developed long COVID.
Long COVID can affect anyone, regardless of age or underlying health conditions.
New studies show vaccines play a crucial role in preventing long-term health complications of COVID-19 known as long COVID.
New Studies Highlight Vaccines' Role in Preventing Long-Term Health Complications of COVID-19

As the world continues to grapple with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, new research sheds light on an often overlooked yet significant issue: long COVID. Long COVID refers to a range of health conditions that can persist for months or even years after initial infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Recent studies have shown that vaccines play a crucial role in preventing these long-term complications.

According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 14 million Americans, or about 5.3 percent of adults, may now be living with long COVID. This number underscores the importance of understanding this condition and taking steps to prevent it.

One study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that during the delta variant's reign, 53 out of every 1,000 vaccinated people developed long COVID up to a year after infection. This number dropped significantly during omicron's rule, with only 35 cases per 1,000 vaccinated individuals developing long COVID. Among unvaccinated people during the same time periods, the rates were much higher: 104 and 95 cases per 1,000 people respectively.

Another study from the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System reported that 72% of the drop in long COVID rates during omicron was attributable to vaccines. These findings highlight the protective role that vaccines play in preventing long-term health complications associated with COVID-19.

Despite this evidence, it's important to remember that no demographic group is immune from long COVID. The condition can affect anyone, regardless of age or underlying health conditions. As such, it's crucial for everyone to stay informed about the latest research and take steps to protect themselves and their loved ones.

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older receive the newest vaccine this fall as part of their ongoing efforts to prevent COVID-19 infections, including those that may lead to long-term health complications.



Confidence

100%

No Doubts Found At Time Of Publication

Sources

98%

  • Unique Points
    • Long COVID can cause persistent respiratory symptoms, debilitating fatigue, brain fog, heart failure, diabetes and other conditions that last a lifetime.
    • Long COVID can result in more than 200 health effects across multiple body systems.
    • Research suggests that an abnormal immune response may underlie long COVID and that removing auto-antibodies may hold promise as potential treatments.
  • Accuracy
    • At least 65 million people globally had long COVID by the end of the first year of the pandemic.
    • New and repeat COVID-19 infections continue to result in millions of new long COVID cases.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

96%

  • Unique Points
    • New research provides evidence that vaccines can help prevent long COVID.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

92%

  • Unique Points
    • The C.D.C. has recommended that everyone 6 months and older receive the newest vaccine this fall.
  • Accuracy
    • Nearly 14 million Americans, or about 5.3 percent of adults, may now be living with long Covid.
    • A study published on Wednesday offers strong evidence that vaccination reduces the odds of getting long Covid.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

97%

  • Unique Points
    • Taylor Presson, a 16-year-old patient, experienced debilitating symptoms after getting COVID-19 in 2022
    • Doctors initially dismissed Taylor’s symptoms as growing pains or not related to COVID-19
    • Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez diagnosed Taylor with Long Covid and runs the UT Health San Antonio Long Covid clinic
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article contains some instances of inflammatory rhetoric and an appeal to authority, but no formal or blatant logical fallacies were found. The authors use emotive language to describe the struggles of Long Covid patients and their fight for recognition and treatment. They also quote Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, a leading expert on Long Covid, who provides authoritative information about the condition and its diagnosis.
    • ][The fatigue was really extreme. Joint issues. I could roll my ankles just by walking. I have ribs publications, so at any one point I can talk to you and have a rib pressing into my lung.][][Her doctors would not relate these issues to COVID-19, calling her debilitating joint issues growing pains.][][We got input from also stakeholders. We made sure that the patient’s voice was heard, and a caregiver’s voice was heard. Other agencies had to be heard in making this definition right.][][So now how do we get it to the people at the front lines to primary care, for their clinicians to understand the definition? Hopefully, we start teaching about it more in medical schools and residencies.][][Meaning like when you come to see me, that also there might be a physical therapist that’s there, or there might be the pulmonologist that’s there if you need that. So there isn’t so much wait time to get to the next specialist that they need to see.][][If you’re having trouble getting a diagnosis on some seemingly random symptoms, tell your doctor about Long Covid, get some tests run, and see a specialist.][][You can call UT Health’s Long Covid clinic at 210-450-6470 or head to their website.][][The paper she helped write lists over 200 symptoms that could be included in a Long Covid diagnosis.]
    • Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez is a professor and chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UT Health San Antonio. She runs the institution’s Long Covid clinic and is one of the world’s leading experts on Long Covid.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

  • Unique Points
    • The odds of developing long COVID dropped as the coronavirus evolved.
    • During omicron’s reign, only 78 cases per 1000 unvaccinated people developed long COVID up to one year after infection.
    • Vaccinated people saw the biggest decline in the occurrence of long COVID: during delta, just 53 out of 1000 vaccinated people developed long COVID up to a year after infection, and only 35 did so during omicron.
    • 72% of the drop in long COVID rate during omicron was attributable to vaccines.
  • Accuracy
    • During the pre-delta phase of the pandemic, 104 cases per 1000 unvaccinated people developed long COVID up to one year after infection.
    • During delta's era, this number fell to 95 cases per 1000 unvaccinated people.
    • During omicron’s reign, only 78 cases per 1000 unvaccinated people developed long COVID up to one year after infection.
    • Improvements in medical care and the use of antiviral treatments during the omicron phase also contributed to the decline in long COVID cases.
    • There is still a risk of developing long COVID for vaccinated people, especially with ongoing new infections and poor uptake of vaccination.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The article does not commit any egregious logical fallacies. However, it does make implicit assumptions and present data in a way that could be misleading to readers without context. The author presents the decline in long COVID rates as primarily due to vaccination, but they do not mention potential confounding factors such as changes in testing and reporting practices or improvements in medical care over time. Additionally, the author uses inflammatory rhetoric by referring to 'the large numbers of ongoing new infections and reinfections', which could lead readers to fearmonger without considering the actual risk.
    • The occurrence of long COVID declined as the coronavirus evolved during the pandemic, especially among vaccinated people.
    • A comparison of omicron infections with infections from prior eras found that 72 percent of the drop in the long COVID rate during omicron was attributable to vaccines.
    • With “the large numbers of ongoing new infections and reinfections, and the poor uptake of vaccination,” they continue, this “may translate into a high number of persons” with long COVID.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication