(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — In a first of its kind study, Chicago doctors looked at patients with long-haul symptoms who received the COVID-19 vaccine.
Researchers here in Chicago say long COVID patients may have to wait a little longer for answers to what many healthcare workers find to be a puzzling condition.
A new study by researchers at Northwestern Medicine wanted to see if getting vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to infection would reduce the severity of long COVID in patients. Long COVID symptoms include brain fog, dizziness, and headaches.
Dr. Igor Koralnik, co-director of the Northwestern Medicine Comprehensive COVID-19 Center says the study's results were sobering.
“They indicate that vaccinations prior to infection do actually not lessen the burden of neurotic manifestation of long COVID,” Dr. Kroalnik said.
He said the results show that long COVID is here to stay.
“Vaccinations are important to prevent severe infection, hospitalization, and death – but they are not going to improve significantly the subsequent development of long COVID.”
The study shows the need for new ways to diagnose long COVID in patients, he said.
The clinic has treated more than 2800 long haulers from 44 states.
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