"Tired and Out of Breath"... COVID-19 Vaccine, Can't Prevent Aftereffects? [Reading Science]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] Although COVID-19 vaccines help prevent infection and progression to severe illness, concerns have been raised that they are not very effective in preventing aftereffects such as fatigue, loss of concentration, and breathing difficulties in cases of breakthrough infections compared to unvaccinated individuals.

According to the international academic journal Nature on the 27th, a Facebook survey conducted by a U.S. law firm found that among 1,950 fully vaccinated individuals, 44 experienced breakthrough infections, and more than half of them, 24 people, were suffering from various aftereffects. Additionally, 40% of respondents said their aftereffects improved after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, while 14% reported that their symptoms worsened. Since this survey was not conducted using a random sampling method, it is not appropriate for measuring the proportion of breakthrough infection patients experiencing aftereffects among vaccinated individuals. However, Nature explained that "it nonetheless shows the reality that there are people suffering from aftereffects even among breakthrough infection cases."

There are other research findings as well. In Israel, a survey of about 1,500 fully vaccinated healthcare workers identified 39 breakthrough infection cases, of which 7 (19%) experienced aftereffects lasting more than six weeks. Furthermore, a study by King's College London in the UK found that vaccines only reduced the risk of persistent aftereffects lasting at least four weeks by about half in breakthrough infection cases. The King's College research team particularly noted that while 11% of unvaccinated infected individuals reported aftereffects, 5% of breakthrough infection cases also experienced aftereffects. Professor Claire Steves of King's College said, "Although the proportion of aftereffect patients among breakthrough infection cases is somewhat low, the fact that they exist is significant," adding, "We continue to monitor this situation closely."

Although these research results have not yet undergone peer review, there are analyses suggesting that this situation may worsen in the future. A study by the University of Oxford in the UK compared electronic medical records of about 10,000 breakthrough infection cases with those infected after only receiving the flu vaccine, finding that COVID-19 vaccines do not protect recipients from certain aftereffects. Relatedly, according to statistics released by the UK government last October, a single dose of the COVID-19 vaccine reduced the number of reported aftereffect cases by 13%, and after two doses, there was an additional 9% reduction.

There is still no definitive research clarifying the correlation between COVID-19 vaccination and aftereffects. However, as the number of aftereffect patients surged, the U.S. Congress allocated a budget of $1.15 billion last December to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study the long-term health impacts of COVID-19 infection on citizens. The NIH plans to conduct a four-year longitudinal study tracking the causes and outcomes of COVID-19 aftereffects in more than 10,000 citizens.