Getting vaccinated halves your risk of Long Covid

Wolverhampton residents are being urged to get their Covid-19 jab as soon as they can, to protect themselves from the deadly virus and significantly reduce the risk the risk of long Covid if they go on to catch it after vaccination.

A new study shows that for the minority of people who catch Covid-19 after being fully vaccinated, the chances of suffering long Covid, where symptoms continue for more than four weeks after infection, are reduced by almost 50% compared to someone who is not vaccinated.

The study, carried out by Kings College, Oxford and based on analysis of data from the Zoe Covid app, found that just 0.2% of people who were fully vaccinated went on to catch Covid-19. Of those fully vaccinated people who became infected, just 5% experienced long Covid symptoms for more than a month, compared to 11% of unvaccinated people.

It also found fully vaccinated people who went on to become infected were then 73% less likely to be admitted to hospital, compared to an unvaccinated person with the virus.

Professor Tim Spector from King's College, and lead investigator of the Zoe COVID study, said: "Vaccinations are massively reducing the chances of people getting long Covid in two ways.

"Firstly, by reducing the risk of any symptoms by eight-to-10-fold, and then by halving the chances of any infection turning into long Covid, if it does happen.

"Whatever the duration of symptoms, we are seeing that infections after two vaccinations are also much milder, so vaccines are really changing the disease and for the better. We are encouraging people to get their second jab as soon as they can."

Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the City of Wolverhampton Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Wellbeing, said: “This study provides further evidence of benefits of being fully vaccinated. Not only is the risk of catching Covid-19 significantly reduced, if you do then become infected, the risk of long Covid symptoms is halved compared to someone who is not fully vaccinated.

“Infection rates remain high in Wolverhampton, so I would encourage anyone aged 16 or over who has not yet had their jab to come get it, and the protection it provides, as soon as they can.” 

Cllr Jaspal added: “Walk-in Covid-19 vaccination clinics are open right across the city, which means it’s easy to get a jab. Most are open to anyone over 16, so if you’re eligible and haven’t had your first dose yet, or are now due your second one, please do so as soon as you can.” 

There are 14 clinics open in Wolverhampton this week:

• Woodcross Health Centre, Monday 6 September 2pm-8pm, Tuesday 7 September 10am-4pm, Thursday 9 September 2pm-8pm and Saturday 11 September 10am-4pm
• Aldersley Leisure Village, Tuesday 7 and Wednesday 8 September 9.30am-6pm
• Whitmore Reans Health Centre, Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 September 3pm-6.45pm then Wednesday 8 September 9am-6.30pm and Thursday 9 September 9am-7.30pm
• Keats Grove Surgery, Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 September 8am-1pm then 2pm-7pm
• Mayfield Medical Practice, Cromwell Road Surgery, Wednesday 8 September 9am-5pm and Friday 10 September 9am-5pm

All offer first and second doses for anyone over 18, and single doses for people aged 16 and 17 too. Pfizer vaccines are available at all of the clinics, and some also have AstraZeneca. Full details of this week’s clinics, including ages, times and vaccine types can be found at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/localvaccine  

The latest figures show that there were 380.5 new cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 people in Wolverhampton over the last seven days. That means 1,001 people in the city tested positive for the virus in that same period – though the true number of new cases will likely be higher.