December 2024 Newsletter
Published December 1, 2024
Long COVID has been describes by experts as a mass disabling event with approximate 17 million adults suffering from constant low energy, a scrambled the autonomic nervous system, or brain fog that affects their memory. In addition, the lack of government investment into Long COVID research and treatment compounds frustrations within the patient community. Advocacy groups and Long COVID clinicians have been pushing for more funding into Long COVID research.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6.4% of adults have Long COVID and 1 in 5 adults experience major limitations when performing daily activities. In addition, Idaho, Oregon, Puerto Rico, and West Virginia have the highest significant Long COVID–associated activity limitation prevalence of 25.0%-29.4%.
University of Minnesota
Studies Describe Vaccine Efficacy Against Long COVID
In Japan, vaccine effectiveness of three or more doses of the COVID vaccine against Omicron-related long COVID to be 30%, and against neurologic symptoms of long COVID it was 39% in adults. However, this protection was only seen in adult women and not men. A second study conducted in the U.S. on adolescents found that the estimated effectiveness of the BNT162b2 vaccine against long COVID was 95.4% for the Delta variant and 60.2% for the Omicron variant.
University of Georgia
Long COVID-19 is costing Americans money
Research from the University of Georgia has shown that Long COVID is creating financial hardship for many Americans. People with this condition are often unable to pay their bills, buy groceries and keep their utilities on due to job loss or reduced working hours. Researchers concluded that for low-income individuals, having Long COVID increased the likelihood of food insecurity by 10 percentage points and at higher risk of losing important utility services. They suggest that policy changes that allow people with the condition to have more flexible working hours or work from home would allow them to keep their jobs and health care.
The University of California, Berkeley
Study shows use of SSRIs may protect against long COVID
UC Berkeley School of Public Health published a study that showed the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (a kind of antidepressant medication) during acute COVID may protect against long COVID. The lingering COVID virus fragments in the gut that is postulated to contribute to Long COVID may impede serotonin production and the resulting low serotonin levels may drive long COVID symptoms. The study concluded that patients who were using SSRIs at the time they had acute COVID had about an 8% reduced risk of Long COVID.
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