Three Trouble Things Scientists Learn About Long Covid

It probably involves 10 to 30 percent of Covid-19 infections, Anxiously wide range Symptoms of protracted symptoms, from debilitating fatigue and pain to brain fog and depression. Still, there are no tests, treatments, or cures for Long Covid yet. Also, there is no clearly identifiable cause. What are scientists learning about it? Science reporter Jamie Morton is examining three of the latest findings.

It is more commonly reported in women

Long Covid affects everyone, including those with a relatively mild illness to Covid-19, but studies show that some are at greater risk than others. It is shown more and more.

In new ZealandThe Maori and Pacifica tribes, who are imbalanced under the influence of the Covid-19, are expected to be hit hardest here.

this month, Major U.S. Analysis Based on 35 studies and data from 1.3 million patients, women are 22% more likely to suffer from long covids and are significantly different from men.

Women are more likely to suffer from a variety of symptoms, including ear, nose, and throat problems, mood, nerve, skin, gastrointestinal and rheumatic disorders, and fatigue.

However, male patients were more likely to experience endocrine disorders such as diabetes and kidney disorders.

Johnson and the authors of the Johnson study said that differences in immune system function between women and men could be an important driver of the various symptoms they found.

“Women can initiate a faster and stronger innate and adaptive immune response and protect them from early infections and severity,” they said.

“But this same difference can make women more vulnerable to long-term autoimmune-related diseases.”

Other factors can also play a role. For example, certain occupations, such as nursing and education, can increase the risk of women being exposed to the virus.

“There are disparities in access to care by gender, which can affect the natural history of the disease and lead to more complications and sequelae,” they said.

Vaccination is important-but breakthroughs occur

Vaccination with Covid-19 is one of the most important steps people can take to avoid hospitalization and death from the virus.

One large study Recently published in the BMJ It has been suggested that the vaccine may also help alleviate Long Covid symptoms in some people, but more data was needed to draw firm conclusions.

Researchers used data from more than 28,000 UK adults who received at least one vaccination after being initially tested positive for Covid-19, followed by symptoms over the last seven months. I tracked it.

Symptoms of Long Covid were reported by about a quarter of these people during follow-up and at least once before vaccination, but the probability of experiencing these changed little over time. did.

Researchers found that the first vaccination was associated with an initial 13% reduction in long covid odds, but the improvement persisted for 12 weeks before the second injection. I wasn’t sure if it was.

After the second jab, they noticed an additional 9% reduction. And this improvement lasted for at least 9 weeks of follow-up.

Unfortunately, vaccinated people were still at risk for Long Covid. As shown by one nasty study from the United StatesWhere 7.5% of the population You may already be living in that state.

The study, conducted on a sample of 13 million people by Washington University in St. Louis Medical School and veteran scientists at the St. Louis Medical System, showed that vaccination against the virus reduced the risk of long covids by about 15 per person. It was St.

Nevertheless, the vaccine has been shown to be most effective in preventing some of Long Covid’s most annoying symptoms (lung and blood clotting disorders). This was reduced by approximately 49% and 56%, respectively, among vaccinated individuals.

Reinfection is a risk of Long Covid

Another study by the same team – and Released online last week prior to peer review – It turns out that reinfection with a virus can cause more problems.

“Our results show that beyond the acute phase, reinfection with Sars-CoV-2 contributes to the substantial additional risk of death, hospitalization, and acute sequelae from all causes in the lung and extensive lung organ system. It shows that they will do it, “they reported.

Again, this study involved a huge number of patients. The first infected were 257,427, the re-infected were 38,926, and the uninfected “control” was 5,396,855.

Compared to the first infected, the re-infected had at least one condition associated with Long Covid, which lasted for six months.

“Given the potential of Sars-CoV-2 to remain a threat for decades, if not decades, it is accepted by the public and long-lasting to protect people from reinfection. There is an urgent need to develop public health measures that can be implemented in.-Infectious diseases. “

“There is also an urgent need for drug intervention to reduce both the risk of reinfection and its adverse health effects.”

Among the great unknowns that scientists still face were the effects of various varieties.

in the meantime A UK study published in The Lancet this month It has been shown that Omicron is less likely to cause long covids than Delta, and new Omicron subvariants are not considered.

Similarly, the greater ability of variants to spread more widely means that there will inevitably be more cases of Long Covid.

“This study included data for the first Omicron variant BA.1, but here in New Zealand, the first Omicron waves were heavily driven by BA.2, which is significantly different from BA.1. “Dr Anna Brooks, an immunologist at the University of Auckland and a researcher at Long Covid, said.

“And, of course, BA.4 and BA.5 are on the rise right now. We don’t know about the prevalence of Long Covid from large outbreaks until we officially start tracking rates.”

According to Brooks, these latest studies show that vaccines alone are not sufficient to prevent the development of long covids and other long-term health complications.

“That’s why it’s still very important to limit infection and reinfection using public health measures, especially masks, given that some Omicron subvariants are already in circulation.”

In the second Omicron wave May take off soon And boosting the surge in reinfection, Brooks and other experts have repeatedly attacked the government over lack of care and support for long-haul carriers.

They also urged the Ministry of Health to consider their proposed plans- Dubbed Vaccine Plus -To tackle the threat of Covid-19.

The ministry is designing a new framework to put together a “toolkit” that can be used by medical services, while actively monitoring evidence and conducting literature reviews every 6-8 weeks.

A newly established expert advisory group, including Maori representatives and people with long Covid experience, met for the first time last month.