Can Vaccination alleviate Long COVID?

What does Long COVID mean? Long COVID includes symptoms that persist , worsen or first occur more than four weeks after an infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The definition of Long COVID varies depending on the study, since a uniform definition is still lacking. Long COVID also includes “post-COVID” syndrome. Post-COVID syndrome describes complaint s that last at least two months after the infection. Symptoms include physical and mental impairment(s) such as fatigue, exhaustion, breathlessness, difficulties in concentrating, insomnia, muscle pain, anxiety, and smell or taste disorders. In addition, there is increasing evidence of organ complications and/or emerging chronic diseases associated with Long COVID.

The risk of getting Long COVID increases the more severe the course of infection was. However, it may also occur after a mild course or after an asymptomatic infection.

How can we protect ourselves from Long COVID? Generally, all measures against an infection with COVID also protect against Long COVID (since it only occurs after a COVID infection). A complete course of COVID vaccinations with a booster vaccination provide the most effective protection against COVID, especially against a severe course, and thus dramatically lowers the chance of Long COVID.

Can vaccination specifically reduce the risk of Long COVID? Whether vaccination can specifically reduce the risk for Long COVID or mitigate its course cannot be conclusive ly answered (yet). However, studies indicate there is a link between vaccination and the prevention of Long COVID.

There are indications that vaccination can alleviate the frequency and severity of Long COVID symptoms, in the case of a breakthrough infection. Studies show that vaccinated patients were significantly less likely to develop Long COVID and to show symptoms. Other reports show that even infected patients then gained protection from Long COVID by receiving a vaccine. Also, several studies observe d a positive effect of a vaccination on the course of extant Long COVID. The time of vaccination seems to matter as well, since patients who got vaccinated soon after the COVID-diagnosis were less likely to develop Long COVID than patients who were vaccinated later. However, it is less clear whether a vaccination after a COVID infection helps against future occurrences of Long COVID.

On the other hand, there was a minority of patients who reported a worsening of symptoms following vaccination. Individual reports indicate Long COVID-like symptoms after vaccination, in some cases. Still, according to the recommendation of the expert commission of the federal government of Germany, Long COVID is no contraindication that would make the vaccination less advisable.

How does a positive effect of vaccination on Long COVID come about? To develop a good understanding of how Long COVID develops is the crucial next step to answering further questions about treatment. According to recent findings, Long COVID might be caused by chronic inflammation , occlusion s of the small vessels, an activation of the Epstein-Barr virus, the persistent presence of virus components, auto immune responses, or psychosomatic components.

To understand the effects of COVID vaccination(s) on Long COVID we need to further understand the development of Long COVID as much as we understand how the vaccine works. At this time, we still lack data. Due to this lack , it is currently premature to say whether the number of vaccinations makes a difference to Long COVID.

Conclusion Many factors indicate that vaccination against COVID might mitigate the course of Long COVID. However, there is still a lot of research (and more randomized and unbiased studies) to be conducted before we fully understand how Long COVID develops, and how it can be prevented and successfully treated.

EXERCISE:

1. Whether vaccination reduces the risk of Long COVID or mitigates its course cannot currently be conclusively answered. However, studies indicate there is a link between vaccination and the prevention of Long COVID. A) True B) False

2. Post-COVID syndrome describes complaints lasting at least two months after the infection. Symptoms include … A) fatigue B) exhaustion C) breathlessness D) difficulties in concentrating E) insomnia

3. Long COVID includes post-COVID syndrome. Post-COVID syndrome describes complaints lasting at least two months after the infection. A) True B) False

You’ll find the answer below.

BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. www.cdc.gov 2. http://dict.leo.org 3. www.dict.cc 4. www.infektionsschutz.de 5. www.rki.de 6. www.webster-dictionary.org

CARMEN LOBITZ Carmen Lobitz ist freie Trainerin, Lehrerin und MTA. Sie gründete 1998 in Berlin lobitz seminare, die unter anderem Englischseminare für Health Professionals anbieten. Kontakt: mail@lobitz-seminare.de www.lobitz-seminare.de

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Lösung für Exercise:

1. A)

2. A)–E)

3. A)

Can Vaccination alleviate Long COVID?

What does Long COVID mean?

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Can Vaccination alleviate Long COVID?

What does Long COVID mean?

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