COVID-19 vaccination reduces risk of long COVID in adults

COVID-19 vaccination reduced the risk of developing ‘long COVID’ by approximately 27% in adults fully vaccinated before infection, according to a literature review carried out by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

The review focused on studies conducted in Europe and similar regions. Given the very wide range of definitions for ‘long COVID’, the review focussed on those studies that specifically applied the World Health Organization’s clinical case definition for post COVID-19 condition (PCC). It found seven high-quality studies in adults, of which six reported a statistically significant reduction in the risk of PCC for vaccinated adults compared to those who were not vaccinated. However, there is still limited evidence on whether vaccination reduces the duration of PCC symptoms, or the risk of developing PCC in children, adolescents, and immunocompromised individuals.

An important takeaway from this review is that vaccination not only protects against severe outcomes of acute illness during a pandemic but may also help reduce the risk of significant long-term effects, said Edoardo Colzani, ECDC Head of Respiratory Viruses and Legionella.

This research highlights the importance of COVID-19 vaccination, not only for preventing severe illness and hospitalisation but also for reducing the risk of prolonged symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further research studies on the role of vaccination in reducing the risk and duration of PCC are still required. In particular, studies should focus on groups such as children, adults, and immunocompromised individuals. This will help provide more comprehensive insights to guide public health strategies.

This review follows an earlier review by ECDC that showed that the prevalence of PCC symptoms was higher among those who experienced more severe COVID-19 disease.

Does COVID-19 vaccination reduce the risk and duration of post COVID-19 condition?