The UK Health Security Agency has confirmed that COVID-19 is less likely to affect vaccinated people than unvaccinated.
The assertion is contained in the agency’s new review of 15 studies released Tuesday.
“These studies add to the potential benefits of receiving a full course of the COVID-19 vaccination,’’ said Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunization at UKHSA.
“Vaccination is the best way to protect you from serious symptoms when you get infected and may also help to reduce the longer-term impact.’’
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has lifted COVID-19 restrictions in England as booster shots and the lower severity of the Omicron variant weaken the link between cases and death.
However, Britain is still fluctauating around 50,000 cases each day, and mild cases of COVID-19 can still lead to debilitating long COVID and associated symptoms of fatigue, memory issues and brain fog.
The UKHSA said that estimates of 2 per cent of the UK population had reported symptoms of long COVID, with the most common symptoms being fatigue, shortness of breath and muscle or joint pain.
Out of four studies that compared long COVID symptoms before and after vaccination, three suggested that more people reported an improvement in long COVID symptoms rather than a worsening following vaccination.
Three more studies found that long COVID symptoms improved in those who got vaccinated, compared to those who remained unvaccinated. Reuters/NAN