A study reveals a decline in long COVID risks, crediting vaccines and viral evolution. Data from hundreds of thousands of veterans illustrates the benefits of vaccination in reducing long-term health complications from COVID-19. Credit: SciTechDaily.
com Research indicates a significant reduction in long COVID risk, largely due to vaccination and the virus ’s evolution. The study analyzes data from over 441,000 veterans, showing lower rates of long COVID among vaccinated individuals compared to their unvaccinated counterparts across different COVID-19 variants. Decreased Long COVID Risk and the Role of Vaccination The risk of developing long COVID has decreased significantly over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an analysis of data led by Washington University School of Medicine in St.
Louis. Researchers attributed about 70% of the risk reduction to vaccination against COVID-19 and 30% to changes over time, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus’s evolving characteristics and improved detection and management of COVID-19. The research is published July 17 in The New England Journal of Medicine .
“The research on declining rates of long COVID marks the rare occasion when I have good news to report regarding this virus,” said the study’s senior author, Ziyad Al-Aly, MD, a Washington University clinical epidemiologist and global leader in COVID-19 research. “The findings also show the positive effects of getting vaccinated.” The risk of long COVID has decli.
