# Long COVID affects more older adults; shots don't prevent it



## Becky1951 (May 26, 2022)

New U.S. research on long COVID-19 provides fresh evidence that it can happen even after breakthrough infections in vaccinated people, and that older adults face higher risks for the long-term effects.

In a study of veterans published Wednesday, about one-third who had breakthrough infections showed signs of long COVID.

A separate report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that up to a year after an initial coronavirus infection, 1 in 4 adults aged 65 and older had at least one potential long COVID health problem, compared with 1 in 5 younger adults.

Long COVID refers to any of more than two dozens symptoms that linger, recur or first appear at least one month after a coronavirus infection. These can affect all parts of the body and may include fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog and blood clots.

Coronavirus vaccines that help prevent initial infections and serious illnesses provide some protection against long COVID but mounting research shows not as much as scientists had first hoped.

The veterans study published in Nature Medicine reviewed medical records of mostly white male veterans, aged 60, on average. Of the 13 million veterans, almost 3 million had been vaccinated last year, through October.

About 1%, or nearly 34,000, developed breakthrough infections. Lead author Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly noted that the study was done before the highly contagious omicron variant appeared at the end of the year and said the rate of breakthrough infections has likely increased.

Breakthrough infections and long COVID symptoms were more common among those who had received Johnson & Johnson's single-dose shot compared with two doses of either Moderna or Pfizer vaccines. Whether any had received booster shots is not known; the first booster wasn't OK'd in the U.S. until late September.

Overall, 32% had long COVID symptoms up to six months after breakthrough infections. That’s compared with 36% of unvaccinated veterans who had been infected and developed long COVID.

Coronavirus vaccines that help prevent initial infections and serious illnesses provide some protection against long COVID but mounting research shows not as much as scientists had first hoped.

The veterans study published in Nature Medicine reviewed medical records of mostly white male veterans, aged 60, on average. Of the 13 million veterans, almost 3 million had been vaccinated last year, through October.

About 1%, or nearly 34,000, developed breakthrough infections. Lead author Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly noted that the study was done before the highly contagious omicron variant appeared at the end of the year and said the rate of breakthrough infections has likely increased.

Breakthrough infections and long COVID symptoms were more common among those who had received Johnson & Johnson's single-dose shot compared with two doses of either Moderna or Pfizer vaccines. Whether any had received booster shots is not known; the first booster wasn't OK'd in the U.S. until late September.

Overall, 32% had long COVID symptoms up to six months after breakthrough infections. That’s compared with 36% of unvaccinated veterans who had been infected and developed long COVID.

Vaccination reduced the chances for any long COVID symptoms by a “modest” 15%,” although it cut the risk in half for lingering respiratory or clotting problems, said Al-Aly, a researcher with Washington University and the Veterans Affairs health system in St. Louis. These symptoms included persistent shortness of breath or cough and blood clots in lungs or veins in the legs.

Infectious disease expert Dr. Kristin Englund, who runs a center for long COVID patients at the Cleveland Clinic, said the Nature Medicine study mirrors what she sees at her clinic. Long COVID patients there include people who were vaccinated and received boosters.

“As we have no clear treatments for long COVID, it is important for everyone to get vaccinated and use other proven methods of prevention such as masking and social distancing in order to prevent infections with COVID and thus long COVID,’’ Englund said.

The CDC report, released Tuesday, used medical records for almost 2 million U.S. adults from the start of the pandemic in March 2020 to last November. They included 353,000 who had COVID-19. Patients were tracked for up to a year to determine if they developed any of 26 health conditions that have been attributed to long COVID.

Those who had COVID were much more likely than other adults without COVID to develop at least one of these conditions, and risks were greatest for those aged 65 and older. Information on vaccination, sex and race was not included.

https://news.yahoo.com/long-covid-affects-more-older-170830215.html


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## Em in Ohio (May 26, 2022)

Becky1951 said:


> New U.S. research on long COVID-19 provides fresh evidence that it can happen even after breakthrough infections in vaccinated people, and that older adults face higher risks for the long-term effects.
> 
> In a study of veterans published Wednesday, about one-third who had breakthrough infections showed signs of long COVID.
> 
> ...


Well, this was sadly informative.  I'm not sure if I qualify as a "break-through" case, but I was negligent in getting my booster as soon as I qualified.  This is day 7 of my symptoms and I've had almost all of the typical ones, except Covid-toes.  At 72, this article scares me.  But, I'm grateful for the information.


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## Becky1951 (May 26, 2022)

Hopefully you will start to feel better real soon and have no lingering effects.


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## Bellbird (May 26, 2022)

It has all been a learning curve for scientists, medics etc. It is up to the general public as well to protect themselves even when they have had the vaccine.  So many are not wearing masks, nor social distancing where possible, and there are many that walk amongst the public when they know they have the virus, albeit it mild, it is not helping to slow it down. I will be getting a booster, older people are more affected so why wouldn't you protect yourself as much as you can.


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## Don M. (May 26, 2022)

The current vaccines are Not a Cure for Covid.  They merely lessen the chances of getting seriously ill, or dying from this virus.  Perhaps in a few years there will be a cure...but not now.  It took years to develop a cure for polio, and smallpox, etc., and Covid will likely be no different.  In the interim, most people would be wise to get the vaccines and boosters, and avoid large crowds, etc.


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## Lethe200 (Jun 2, 2022)

*Massive 23andMe survey reveals who may be at the highest risk for long COVID*
SFGATE May 31, 2022
https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Study-reveals-long-COVID-risks-17200501.php

(excerpt)
... A new unpublished study from 23andMe is part of a growing body of research shedding light on who experiences post-COVID conditions and why. The survey, which was voluntary and relied on people self-reporting symptoms, had several major findings, including that women were far more likely to experience long-term symptoms, as were people with a prior diagnosis of depression or anxiety. More than half of people who reported a diagnosis of long COVID had a history of cardiometabolic disease, such as heart attacks or diabetes.

The 23andMe survey included 100,000 people who reported a diagnosis of COVID. Of those, 26,000 described experiencing symptoms of COVID at least a month after being infected. In addition, more than 7,000 participants reported an official diagnosis of long COVID. Survey participants were asked about their symptoms at 3, 6 and 12 months. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, about 13.3% of people with COVID will experience symptoms for at least a month, and 2.5% of people will experience symptoms for longer than three months.


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## Lethe200 (Jun 2, 2022)

Interestingly, I'm pretty sure Spouse and I caught very mild cases of COVID about a month before we were finally eligible for the original round of shots. Couldn't get tested because testing supplies were so limited back then (seems like a zillion years ago, doesn't it?) and you had to be REALLY sick before they would consent to do the testing. 

About 4-6 weeks later, I noticed I was feeling tired every day. Not seriously, but every morning I'd get up and feel like I should have slept another hour. Almost always took a nap in the afternoon, about an hour's worth. Was going to bed at 10p sharp which is very unlike me, I'm usually an 11:30/midnite bedtime and always have been. I'd sleep until 7a or 7:30a but just dragged until I had a full cup of coffee, instead of my usual half-cup.

It wasn't until about a month ago I was able to get back to my usual bedtime (arising time always the same), and didn't need the long nap in the afternoon to keep going. 

The reason I think it was a [fortunately] mild case of Long COVID was that when I was in my late 20's, I got hit with Sudden Fatigue Syndrome. Man, was that a bummer! Took me almost a full year before I recovered. That was back when the AMA didn't even acknowledge SFS existed. Now they think it's linked to the same immune system disorder that causes Guillain-Barre disease.

My suspected Long COVID felt very much the same way, except with SFS I was tired _all day long. _With the Long COVID I could keep going, but at a slower pace and I'd only get tired after about 5-6 hours. A little rest and I'd be fine until I hit "the wall" again. But when I did get tired, I really had to get vertical and sleep for a bit to recover. 

SFS isn't like that - except for work I think I spent all my time conked out in bed! I would sleep 12-14 hrs a day, every day, and still not feel refreshed.


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## Em in Ohio (Jun 3, 2022)

I don't know the definition of long Covid, but I've been ill with Covid - 19 since May 19th.  Just when I think I'm getting over it, it rallies against me.  Today is far worse than yesterday.  I'm so tired of it.  And, speaking of tired, I'm sleeping more than 18 hours a day.  I don't have time for this!  Okay, done whining.


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## TC Steve (Jun 3, 2022)

Had Covid at the beginning of 2021 and think I may have had it again early on 2022. My taste and smell is still off after all this time. Certain foods like fresh fruit taste and smell like garbage. I used to love bananas, but now I can't stand the smell of them. I also seem fatigued all the time. I never wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day.  I still get to work on time and plug along doing what needs to be done each day.


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## Gaer (Jun 3, 2022)

@Em in Ohio and @TC Steve, I'm so sorry you have to go through this!


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## JonSR77 (Jun 4, 2022)

COVID-19 vaccine guidance from Mayo Clinic

https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/vaccine


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## JonSR77 (Jun 4, 2022)

Mayo Clinic on Long Term COVID

https://www.google.com/search?q=may...0l2j0i390.10233j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8


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## JonSR77 (Jun 4, 2022)

TC Steve said:


> Had Covid at the beginning of 2021 and think I may have had it again early on 2022. My taste and smell is still off after all this time. Certain foods like fresh fruit taste and smell like garbage. I used to love bananas, but now I can't stand the smell of them. I also seem fatigued all the time. I never wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day.  I still get to work on time and plug along doing what needs to be done each day.



there are folks who have strong symptoms from having COVID, but in many cases those symptoms eventually fade and end.  Sometimes it can take a full year.


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