Could the Coronavirus Vaccine Help Relieve Long COVID Symptoms?

As we move ever closer to the beginning of the new post-pandemic normal, more people are getting their coronavirus vaccines. Interestingly enough, some individuals who had reported experiencing severe “long COVID” symptoms—meaning that they experienced a variety of debilitating symptoms long after the infection had cleared—are now reporting their symptoms are either much improved or completely gone after receiving the vaccine. What do we know so far about the possibility of vaccines improving the symptoms of people with “long COVID”?

Long COVID Symptoms

People who experience “long COVID” report a variety of diverse symptoms. From shortness of breath and a racing heartbeat to brain fog, difficulty remembering things, and extreme fatigue, long COVID symptoms can prove debilitating and may last for weeks and even months after the initial infection ends. Some people have been experiencing long COVID symptoms for a full year. Researchers understand very little about why some people experience long COVID and others seem to quickly recover. It seems to affect a diverse group of people with little in common. Long COVID clinics have even begun to open all over the country, and the world is focused on trying to provide treatment and helping people to find relief.

Could the Vaccine Be Helping?

Now that more vaccines are available, there is some anecdotal evidence to suggest that after receiving the full vaccine dosage (both shots), long COVID symptoms may subside. Doctors have reported a variety of data from their own patients. Dr. Daniel Griffin, an infectious disease physician at Columbia University, noted that around 40% of his long COVID patients had some relief of their symptoms. In addition, a small study at the University of Bristol that studied long-haulers receiving the vaccine as compared with those who did not found a small amount of improvement in long COVID symptoms, as well. There have also been a few surveys indicating that people who received the vaccine have seen some improvement.

But most doctors are quick to note that it is much too early to conclusively decide whether the coronavirus vaccine could really result in an improvement in long-hauler symptoms. While many individuals have reported some improvement in their symptoms, others state that they did not experience any significant changes after receiving the vaccine. Still others say that instead, their symptoms actually worsened after being vaccinated. For now, this is yet another aspect of so-called “long COVID” that doctors will have to research.