Double vaccination halves risk of long COVID, study finds

Why the vaccine took 75 years to develop.

Date:

September 1, 2021

Source:

King's College London

Summary:

Adults who have received a double vaccination are 47 percent less likely to have long COVID should they contract a COVID-19 infection, according to new research.

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    FULL STORY

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Adults who have received a double vaccination are 49% less likely to have Long COVID should they contract a COVID-19 infection, a new study finds.

Researchers at King's College London analysed data from participants logging their symptoms, tests and vaccines 8th December 2020 and 4 July 2021, including 1,240,009 (first dose) and 971,504 (second dose) vaccinated UK adults. The research team assessed a range of factors, including age, frailty and areas of deprivation and compared that with post-vaccination infection.

The study, published today in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, found that in the unlikely event of catching COVID-19 after being double vaccinated, the risk of Long COVID was reduced by almost half. There were also fewer hospitalisations (73% less likely) and lower burden of acute symptoms (31% less likely) among those fully vaccinated. The nature of the most common symptoms were similar to unvaccinated adults -- e.g. anosmia,(loss of smell) cough, fever, headaches, and fatigue. All these symptoms were milder and less frequently reported by people who were vaccinated, and they were half as likely to get multiple symptoms in the first week of illness. Sneezing was the only symptom which was more commonly reported in vaccinated people with COVID-19.

Why the vaccine took 75 years to develop.

However, people living in most deprived areas were at greater risk of infection after a single vaccination. While age on its own was not a risk factor, individuals who had health conditions that limited their independence -- such as frailty -- were up to two times more likely to contract COVID-19 infection after vaccination, and of getting sick.

The findings demonstrate the need to target at-risk groups. Frail adults have already been shown to be disproportionately affected by COVID-19. The research team suggests strategies such as a timely booster programme, targeted infection control measures and more research into the immune response to vaccination in this group could help address the issue.

Lead researcher Dr Claire Steves from King's College London said: "In terms of the burden of Long COVID, it's good news that our research has found that having a double vaccination significantly reduces the risk of both catching the virus and if you do, developing long standing symptoms. However, among our frail, older adults and those living in deprived areas the risk is still significant and they should be urgently prioritised for second and booster vaccinations."

The immortal Henrietta Lacks and the Covid vaccine

Credit: Keith Henry Brown. Henrietta Lacks, the "Mother of Modern Medicine," made a vital contribution to the Covid-19 vaccines, 70 years after her death.

At this time of year when we honor the memory of George Floyd and repairing racial injustice, we must not forget the story of Henrietta Lacks. She is called the "Mother of Modern Medicine" for good reason. Her cells, used in research around the world, on many projects, played a significant role in the development of the Covid-19 vaccine, as they did for the development of the polio vaccine by Dr. Jonas Salk.

Remarkably, 70 years after her death from cervical cancer, Henrietta Lacks' cells live on, allowing for lower research cost and for researchers scientists to avoid testing on human subjects.

Correcting a longstanding injustice

Henrietta Lacks' contributions in the form of her immortal cells have finally been recognized by the biomedical community. Johns Hopkins University, where she was treated for cervical cancer, the National Institutes of Health, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and other individuals have made reparations to the family in terms of cash payments from the results of experiments on her cells. 

A Henrietta Lacks Foundation, seats on the board that decides how her cells will be used, and symposiums and scholarships in her name all honor Henrietta Lacks and have begun to correct the ethically wrong use of her cells, which was begun without her consent. 

Read more about this important, remarkable story. And it is hoped that some will get the vaccine which, incredibly, she helped make possible decades after her death.

Learn more about Henrietta Lacks, the vaccine, Covid-19 and public health in this new book:

Get the facts today!

Is your state getting vaccinated?

 

Find out where your state ranks in vaccine rates.

This week, CNN ranked the states by order of percentage of residents who have received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose.

The numbers can be looked at in several ways, but they are falling short, in some states very short, of the goals for herd immunity, i.e., community immunity. President Biden has set a goal to have 70% of Americans with at least one vaccine dose by early July. 

We need to pull together in this effort, to encourage people to get vaccinated against Covid-19 and then even to get angry that people are ignoring the science and risking the health of their neighbors, friends, and families. 

Get more information for yourself by ordering a copy of the book listed below. 

Here are the states and their vaccination rates as of May 19th.

1. Maine 50.12% 
2. Connecticut 49.29% 
3. Vermont 48.39% 
4. Rhode Island 47.97% 
5. Massachusetts 47.68% 
6. New Jersey 45.16% 
7. New Mexico 44.92% 
8. Hawaii 44.68% 
9. Maryland 43.66% 
10. New York 43.44% 
11. Minnesota 42.41%, 
12. Wisconsin 42.05% 
13. Colorado 41.94% 
14. District of Columbia 41.54% 
15. Virginia 41.32% 
16. Washington 41.28% 
17. South Dakota 41.25% 
18. Iowa 41.22% 
19. Pennsylvania 40.11% 
20. Nebraska 39.98% 
21. Oregon 39.98% 
22. Delaware 39.81% 
23. California 39.33%, 
24. Michigan 39.25% 
25. Maryland 38.90%
26. Ohio 38.14% 
27. Alaska 38.04% 
28. New Hampshire 37.93%
29. Illinois 37.11% 
30. Kansas 36.71%
31. Kentucky 36.56% 
32. Montana 36.55% 
33. Florida 36.15% 
34. North Dakota 35.33% 
35. North Carolina 34.42% 
36. Nevada 34.25% 
37. Texas 33.06% 
38. West Virginia 33.02%
39. Indiana 32.99% 
40. Missouri 32.83% 
41. Oklahoma 32.58% 
42. South Carolina 31.97%  
43. Idaho 31.16% 
44. Wyoming 30.6% 
45. Utah 30.22% 
46. Tennessee 30.17% 
47. Louisiana 29.88% 
48. Georgia 29.53% 
49. Arkansas 29.5% 
50. Alabama 27.79% 
51. Mississippi 26.24%

Learn more about the vaccine, about Covid-19 and about public health in this new book:

Get the facts today!