During the COVID-19 pandemic, new coronavirus variants gained prominence, which decreased the likelihood of acquiring long-term COVID. Over time, the largest decline was seen by those who received the vaccination against the virus.
During the pre-delta phase of the pandemic, 104 individuals out of every 1,000 who were not vaccinated had long-term COVID up to a year after contracting an infection. That dropped to 95 per 1,000 during the reign of the delta variation and 78 under the omicron. Researchers report July 17 in the New England Journal of Medicine that of those who received vaccinations, only 53 out of 1,000 acquired long COVID up to a year following infection during delta and only 35 during omicron.
The investigation of U.S. Data from the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System examined individuals infected with COVID-19 between March 2020, when the pandemic started, and the end of January 2022. The Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System researchers examined the long COVID rates in three different pandemic stages between individuals who received vaccinations and those who did not. December 2020 saw the release of the first COVID vaccination (SN: 12/11/20). In the summer of 2021, the delta variation was most prevalent in the United States; starting in December of the same year, the omicron version took control (SN: 7/2/21; SN: 12/21/21).
decreasing rates
As the coronavirus changed during the pandemic, the rate of protracted COVID decreased, particularly in those who had received vaccinations. Nearly 450,000 American veterans who contracted COVID between March 2020 and January 2022 were the subject of the analysis.
When omicron infections were compared to infections from other eras, vaccinations were found to be responsible for 72% of the decline in the long COVID rate during omicron. The remaining amount was brought about by modifications to the virus, advancements in healthcare, and the application of antiviral medications during the omicron phase.
The researchers note that there is still a risk even with the dramatic drop in the incidence of extended COVID among those who have received vaccinations. “A high number of persons” with protracted COVID may result from “the large numbers of ongoing new infections and reinfections, and the poor uptake of vaccination,” they say.
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