Can Omicron cause long covids?

Many public health authorities are fascinated by the early evidence of an infection from. Omicron variant Tends to cause less severe illness than other versions coronavirus.. But another important question is imminent: whether it is infected by Omicron, Breakthrough examples of vaccinated peopleCan cause long Covids. It is a collection of physical, neurological, and cognitive symptoms that last for months and can impair people’s daily lives.

It’s too early for scientists to know much about the relationship between Omicron, vaccination, and the long Covid. Early studies of the pandemic provide no definitive clues. This is a sketch of what scientists have learned and many questions that have not yet been answered.

Can Omicron cause long covids?

Since the Omicron variant was first identified in late November, it is premature to say how long the symptoms of the infection will last. Also, as with previous versions of the virus, it is unclear if problems such as brain fog or extreme fatigue may occur after the infection has been resolved.

Recent reports indicate that Omicron can cause early-stage illnesses that are less severe than other variants, but the basic symptoms of Omicron infection are similar to those of other variants. The long-term effects may be similar.

Mild early illness does not necessarily mean that Omicron is unlikely to lead to long covids, and doctors, researchers, and patient-led groups warn. Studies from the early waves of the pandemic Mild also Asymptomatic The first response to coronavirus infection continued to develop long covids that lasted for several months.

Can the vaccine prevent long covids?

perhaps.

Vaccines primarily prevent serious illness and death from coronavirus infections. In some previous variants, the vaccine seemed to reduce the chances of infection itself — and, of course, non-infection is the best way to avoid long Covids. However, vaccines are not very effective in preventing Omicron infections, and breakthrough infections with this new mutant are much more common.

Studies examining vaccinated people and long covids have so far focused primarily on data collected prior to the emergence of delta variants. And the research results are mixed.

One large study published in the journal Lancet infectionIs based on reports to the phone app by more than 1.2 million British adults who received at least one corona virus vaccine between December 2020 and July 2021. Half of those who are not vaccinated report symptoms that last at least 28 days after infection. Approximately 5% of patients with breakthrough infections reported such prolonged symptoms, compared with 11% of unvaccinated controls.

another Large-scale researchEqually promising results were found that were published without peer review. Created by the Covid Patient Recovery Alliance, a collaboration between healthcare data company Arcadia and leaders with government and private sector health expertise, the study was about 240,000 infected with the coronavirus by May 2021. We analyzed the records of human patients.

We found that people who received at least one Covid vaccine before infection were 7-10 times less likely to report two or more symptoms of long Covid after 12-20 weeks. The study, led by Arcadia Data Science Director Michael Simon and the company’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Richard Parker, found that those who were first vaccinated after being infected with the coronavirus could develop longer covids. People who have not been vaccinated, and the sooner they are vaccinated after infection, the lower the risk of long-term symptoms.

but, Another study, And not yet peer-reviewed, was more discouraged about the vaccine’s ability to prevent long covids. This study was conducted by a British researcher who analyzed electronic medical records of patients in the United States. We compared about 10,000 people vaccinated with the Covid vaccine to the same number of people who were not vaccinated with the coronavirus but were vaccinated against the flu. This could be considered hesitant about the vaccine, or according to researchers, there was generally little healthy behavior.

The study found that vaccination with the coronavirus vaccine before infection did not reduce the risk of most symptoms of long Covid. There were some suggestions from the data that vaccinated people may be at lower risk of long-term problems such as abnormal breathing and cognitive symptoms, but those results are not statistically definitive. There was no.

The authors said that because the data depend on electronic medical records, they may have investigated only those with the most severe symptoms, rather than the widespread patients who did not seek treatment for their symptoms.

Is the vaccine useful if I already have a long Covid?

When the vaccine was first deployed, before the emergence of the more contagious delta variant, which preceded the more contagious Omicron variant. Some patients with long covids After vaccination, symptoms such as brain fog, joint pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue were found to improve. Still, many have shown no difference in symptoms after vaccination, and only a few say they feel sick.

Study by National Bureau of Statistics In the United Kingdom, people aged 18-69 years who reported symptoms between February and September 2021 were found to have a 13% reduction in their chances of reporting long Covid symptoms with the first dose of the vaccine. Studies show that the second dose reduced odds by an additional 9%.

Some researchers say it may make scientific sense that the vaccine can help some people with long covids.

According to experts, the cause of long Covid is still unknown, and different symptoms may have different underlying causes for each patient. Some major theories suggest that this condition may be related to the remains of the virus or its genetic material that remains after the initial infection has subsided, or inflammation or blood circulation problems caused by an excessive immune response that cannot be shut down. It has sex.

Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist at Yale University, Said If the antibodies produced by the vaccine eliminate their debris, the vaccine may be able to provide permanent relief to those whose symptoms are caused by traces of the virus. However, in people whose symptoms can be caused by a post-viral reaction that resembles an autoimmune disease, the vaccine is only temporary and may cause problems such as fatigue to recur, she said. Stated.