A new study has suggested that long COVID may be no worse than the flu – if you’re up to date with your vaccinations.
Long COVID is the name given to the lingering post-infection effects of COVID-19, which can stay for weeks or months.
The study, conducted by Queensland Health, showed the impacts may be almost identical to the common flu.
The research was carried out in mid-2022, and covered 2200 adults who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and another 1000 diagnosed with the flu.
They were tracked for 12 weeks after an initial diagnosis.
The study found 21 per cent of the COVID-19 patients reported they were still feeling some ongoing symptoms after that 12 weeks, with four per cent saying the symptoms were mid-level to severe.
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Some reported their everyday functions were impaired.
Of the flu patients, 23 per cent said they were still feeling symptoms after 12 weeks, with four per cent claiming mid-level to severe affliction.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard stressed to the Courier-Mail it was critical to note that the research was carried out when Queensland was highly vaccinated.
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He cited other peer-reviewed studies which showed the jab had lessened the impact of long COVID.
Gerrard said the findings, while surprising, didn’t detract from the severity of COVID-19, but revealed that it behaved in a similar manner to other viruses.
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