Long COVID (also known as Post-COVID) is the name given to symptoms and health issues that patients experience for at least 4 weeks after recovering from a COVID-19 infection.
There are 3 Different Types of Long COVID
1. People do not recover 100% from COVID-19 and have ongoing symptoms because the virus damaged cells
2. Symptoms related to long hospitalizations for COVID-19
3. Symptoms that appear after COVID-19 recovery.
Long COVID Can Occur in Any Person
Many “young and healthy” people do not feel concerned about getting infected with COVID-19. Truthfully, most young and healthy people will not have severe symptoms with the infection. But, the young and healthy are vulnerable to severe debilitation from Long COVID.
A big risk for anyone who gets infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is the chronic health issues that it can leave behind. Instead of returning to a previous state of health, people are having to deal with health problems that they may never have thought they would experience.
Who Gets Long COVID?
Long COVID occurs even in people who had no symptoms or mild symptoms from the infection initially.
Up to 1 in 3 people who had mild symptoms with their COVID-19 infection report having Long COVID.
Long COVID Symptoms
We are still learning about the symptoms of Long COVID, and more and more symptoms are being linked to the virus. Long COVID can involve any organ. It can involve any combination of symptoms, but the most common symptom is fatigue that is debilitating. Over time, symptoms may ease, but not completely go away. In the picture are some of the chronic ailments and health issues that the virus has left behind.
COVID-19 vaccines prevent Long COVID
In COVID-19 vaccines may prevent Long COVID symptoms from developing. Vaccinated patients who have “breakthrough” COVID-19 infections are 50% less likely to develop Long COVID. The best protection comes from being fully vaccinated. It is still possible to develop Long COVID if you get COVID-19 after vaccination, but the risk appears to be much lower than if you were unvaccinated.
COVID-19 vaccines may help improve Long COVID symptoms
Up to 40% of people who developed Long COVID and then received the COVID-19 vaccine reported improvement in their symptoms. At this point, it is still not clear why the vaccine may help with Long COVID symptoms, but multiple studies report that Long COVID symptoms were much more likely to either improve or completely go away getting the COVID-19 vaccine compared to those who remain unvaccinated.
Children can develop Long COVID
More children are being diagnosed with Long COVID and the symptoms they have a similar to what adults experience. For some children, it can be hard to return to school when they are always tired and have difficulty concentrating.
Up to 50% of people who are infected with COVID-19 are at risk for Long COVID
Post-virus syndromes are not limited to COVID-19 and our knowledge of them dates back decades in time. Some viruses, like the flu or even the common cold, can cause debilitating tiredness for months after the infection. Other viruses. Others like chicken pox and polio have been known to cause health issues many years, sometimes decades, after the original infection.
The percentage of people who experience Long COVID seems to be growing. In mid-2021, around 1 in 4 people were suffering from long-term symptoms. In Fall 2021, that number increased to 1 in 3. A study published in November 2021 showed that 1 in 2 people who survive COVID-19 are still experiencing physical and mental health issues 6 months or more after their infection.
We are still learning exactly what leads to these long-lasting Post COVID effects, but symptoms are thought to be caused by a ramped up immune system and/or significant inflammation caused by the virus.
A Shot for Alabama Support
For help with COVID-19 vaccine questions, concerns, and assistance with vaccine scheduling, you can contact the Shot for Alabama Call Center:
334-844-2018
A Shot for Alabama is an collaboration between the Harrison College of Pharmacy and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System
