New research sheds light on an emerging parallel COVID epidemic

LOS ANGELES — As a result of so many individuals have handled COVID-19 infections, many now view the virus like a standard chilly or flu.

New analysis means that’s removed from the reality.

With concern over COVID waning, a parallel pandemic is rising.

“We’re nonetheless studying about the long run well being results of COVID infections,” mentioned Los Angeles County Public Well being Director Barbara Ferrer.

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Dr. Michael Ghobrial with the Cleveland Clinic mentioned they’re seeing it extra generally in youthful sufferers.

This comes as medical doctors throughout the nation are coping with a rising variety of sufferers who cannot shake their preliminary COVID signs or have acquired new signs that final for no less than a month or extra. Some circumstances have been occurring for 2 years.

“Probably the most described signs of lengthy COVID embody fatigue, decreased train capability, respiration issues, mind fog and lack of style or scent,” mentioned Ferrer.

Varied research discover lengthy COVID, or lengthy haulers syndrome, can strike in all populations.

“It is extra in females in comparison with males. It is also extra frequent in sufferers who’ve comorbidities,” mentioned Ghobrial.

In a research of a number of thousand veterans, Ferrer mentioned the brand new proof suggests repeated COVID infections enhance one’s threat for lengthy haul syndrome.

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“Many of those problems have been critical and life altering and included stroke, cognition and reminiscence problems, peripheral nervous system problems,” she mentioned. “The danger of getting long run well being situations was 3 times larger for these contaminated 3 times in comparison with those that have been uninfected.”

Avoiding an infection is the important thing, and whereas COVID vaccines and boosters do not all the time forestall an infection, quite a few research discover it might probably scale back the danger of lengthy COVID.

“Those that had two doses of vaccine earlier than getting COVID had an roughly 75% decrease probability of getting lengthy COVID,” mentioned Ferrer. “Whereas those that obtained three doses had an 84% decrease probability of getting lengthy COVID.”

Whereas we have now a lot to be taught, Ferrer mentioned getting vaccinated and boosted seems to be one of many easiest methods to considerably scale back your threat.