A recent study published on August 28, 2024, in Open Forum Infectious Diseases has sparked new debates about Long COVID and vaccination. The study, led by Dr. Melanie D. Swift from the Mayo Clinic, suggests that vaccination against COVID-19 does little to prevent Long COVID.
What the study found
The study analyzed data from 41,652 people with confirmed COVID-19 infections. Researchers found that 6.9% of patients developed medically diagnosed Long COVID within six months of infection. Vaccination status—whether unvaccinated, vaccinated with two mRNA doses, or vaccinated with more than two doses—showed no significant difference in Long COVID risk.
Long COVID was more common in older adults, women, and those hospitalized for their initial infection. It was less common in cases during the Omicron variant period.
Dr. Swift emphasized that vaccines still reduce severe illness and hospitalization.
“If you don’t get COVID, you don’t get Long COVID,” she said in an article by Stephanie Soucheray published by the University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy (CIDRAP). However, the findings challenge the belief that vaccines significantly lower Long COVID risk after infection.
Expert reactions and questions
The study has faced scrutiny from other researchers. Critics argue that the sample may not represent the broader population and might reflect biases in healthcare usage. For example, patients more likely to seek Long COVID diagnoses may also be more likely to get vaccinated.
Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, a clinical epidemiologist, has published studies showing vaccines reduce Long COVID risk by 40% to 50% on average. In the CIDRAP article, he suggested that vaccines might protect against certain symptoms, such as pulmonary issues, more than others.
Promising drug treatment
While the debate about Long COVID and vaccination continues, a promising drug treatment has emerged. The COVID-OUT clinical trial, led by the University of Minnesota and funded in part by the Parsemus Foundation, studied metformin, fluvoxamine, and ivermectin as treatments for COVID-19 and Long COVID.
Metformin, a widely available diabetes drug, showed significant benefits for treating COVID. It reduced the risk of developing Long COVID by 41% when taken within seven days of COVID symptoms. Metformin also significantly lowered COVID-related hospitalizations, emergency visits, and deaths. The other drugs tested—ivermectin and fluvoxamine—did not show similar benefits.
Metformin may work by reducing viral load, as the study found it decreased the amount of SARS-CoV-2 by 3.6 times. Researchers believe this antiviral effect helps limit the long-term impacts of COVID-19.
Protecting yourself
The link between Long COVID and vaccination remains complex. Vaccination remains critical to preventing severe COVID-19, but it may not fully prevent Long COVID. Combining vaccines with metformin may offer better protection. Research highlights metformin as a safe, affordable, and effective treatment for reducing Long COVID risk. Patients should discuss these options with their doctors.
Read our web page on COVID-19 treatment, and see our blog posts on the topic.
