New evidence shows how booster shots offer robust protection against long COVID, emphasizing their importance in battling Omicron-era health challenges. Study: The impact of vaccination on preventing long COVID in the Omicron era: a systematic review and meta-analysis . Image Credit: p.
ill.i / Shutterstock *Important notice: medRxiv publishes preliminary scientific reports that are not peer-reviewed and, therefore, should not be regarded as conclusive, guide clinical practice/health-related behavior, or treated as established information. In a recent preprint* study posted to the medRxiv server, an international team of researchers evaluated the effectiveness of vaccination, particularly booster doses, in reducing the risk of long coronavirus disease (COVID) during the Omicron era through a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.
Background Long COVID impacts are varied and include post-exertional malaise, cognitive dysfunction, and organ damage, with symptoms lasting weeks, months, or even years in some individuals. Long COVID, also known as post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), affects an estimated 2-7% of individuals recovering from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, with symptoms lasting at least three months. This condition impairs physical and mental health, reducing quality of life and productivity while imposing economic and healthcare burdens globally, with an estimated annual cost of $1 trillion.
Symptoms .