A new study by Stony Brook University researchers has found that people who have had multiple bouts of COVID-19 or severe infections, as well as those who were unvaccinated when first infected, are at a higher risk of developing long COVID.
The study looked at 2,522 participants in the program and determined that 475, or almost 85%, developed long COVID. Of these, 403 had been infected with COVID multiple times.
Researchers found a significant association between the risk of long COVID and multiple reinfections, severity, and vaccination status at first infection. They also found that a “large proportion” of participants who were not vaccinated at the time of their first infection experienced long COVID.
Lead author Sean Clouston said that age and gender did not significantly impact the risk of long COVID, but rather the severity of the infections. Younger people with more severe COVID-19 had a higher risk of developing long COVID.
Long COVID, also known as post-acute sequelae, can cause symptoms such as mental fog, loss or altered sense of taste and smell, wheezing, coughs, and chest pain. The study highlights the importance of continuing research into long COVID due to ongoing questions about its lingering impacts.
Experts warn that while deaths and severe illness from COVID-19 have decreased since the early days of the pandemic, there are still many unknowns about the lingering effects of an infection. They stress the need for effective treatments, such as vaccines or therapeutics, to address this issue.
Source: https://www.newsday.com/news/health/long-covid-911-d0ot4qig