The COVID-19 vaccine continues to make its way into the arms of Americans. And, according to some researchers, the vaccine might help those who once had long-term COVID-19 symptoms.
What’s going on?
Dr. Brian Lamb, an internal medicine doctor with Allegheny Health Network, told WPXI that there have been some long-haulers — those who suffer from COVID-19 symptoms long after infection — who have seen their symptoms disappear after the first COVID-19 vaccine dose.
- “We are seeing the people who have the low level, almost still infected, the ones who don’t feel right and have the brain fog, fatigue ... those are the ones we are seeing getting better with the shot,” he said.
So why does that happen? According to Lamb, the vaccine offers an immunity boost to your system. The immunity boost then combats anything that’s still lingering in your body.
- “You’re having all this immune response that is ramping itself up, and it’s helping to protect you from anything that may still be there, and any re-exposure ... it’s like a can of spinach from Popeye,” Lamb said.
Is it safe for long-haulers?
Dr. Anuj Mehta, professor of pulmonary and critical care medicine at Denver Health, told KDVR the COVID-19 vaccine is safe for those with long-term COVID-19 symptoms. However, he said there’s so much unknown about why the symptoms last a long time.
- “The problem with COVID long-haulers is we really don’t understand the mechanism of their symptoms. We don’t think it’s related to the fact that they may have ongoing virus in their body since most of them have totally cleared the virus. And we don’t necessarily know if it’s related to a kind of antibody response,” said Mehta.
He said he understands why those with long-term symptoms might be cautious about getting the vaccine. But he told KDVR that those with long-term symptoms are at risk for reinfection, which makes the vaccine even more important.
- “That being said, people who are long-haulers are at risk for reinfection. So if people are eligible and they think it’s the right decision for themselves, I think that the vaccine is still safe and effective,” said Mehta.
One more thing
Experts remain uncertain about whether the vaccine can prevent long-term symptoms, according to The Verge.
- “It’s an incredibly important question that we just don’t know the answer to,” Timothy Henrich, a virologist and viral immunologist at the University of California, San Francisco, told The Verge.
- People who got the COVID-19 vaccine can still get sick from the virus. It’s unclear if the long-term symptoms of COVID-19 hit those patients, according to The Verge.
The bigger picture
This isn’t the case with every COVID-19 patient or anyone who had long-term symptoms of COVID-19. But it remains a promising sign of the vaccine’s utility if more research is done on the matter.