Coronavirus: How long does long COVID last? Can vaccines help relieve symptoms?

While coronavirus continues to rage in its mutant forms, it is now being estimated that over 14% of people who catch COVID-19 end up having lasting symptoms- some similar to COVID, while some may be debilitating enough to require long-term support and care.

READ MORE: 3 possible signs of long COVID-19, as per experts

Post-COVID symptoms or long COVID is characterised as a condition that afflicts recovered patients with lingering symptoms of the viral infection, weeks or months after testing negative for the virus. If British studies are to go by, there could be over a million people worldwide, suffering from long COVID.

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Even as scientists continue to unravel what causes long COVID, and how to treat it, there is one question that remains unanswered- how long does a patient fight long COVID symptoms for?

Long COVID can leave recovered coronavirus patients suffering from a host of confusing, lingering symptoms weeks on after testing negative for the infection. While a COVID recovery takes somewhere around 14-21 days, if a person continues to exhibit symptoms for more than 4-5 weeks, it is characterised as a primary marker of long COVID.

ALSO READ: How to manage long COVID symptoms and get better

While there's yet no conclusive link as to what leaves patients fighting the dreaded battle and have symptoms like continued breathlessness, recurring fever, weakness, pains and aches, the precedence of long COVID seems to be more common amongst patients who have battled a moderate to severe COVID-19 infection.

The risk of long COVID-19 can only be higher for women, people with higher BMI levels, or people over the age of 50, according to multiple studies. A small number of studies have also pointed out that long COVID ailments could also plague those who were never ill enough to be hospitalized in the first place, with COVID-19.

Patients who get long COVID symptoms tend to experience chronic, lingering symptoms similar to the viral infection for different periods of time. While some start to see a resolution of their symptoms in a manner of weeks, some patients may continue to have difficult symptoms for as long as 8-9 months post recovery.

What exactly causes a distinction in the symptoms is unknown to medical experts. However, a lot of it may have to do with pre-existing conditions and risk factors that hamper COVID recovery.

Long COVID may also start to resolve, depending on the type of symptoms that a patient may have. It has been found that amongst those with long COVID, respiratory symptoms are the most common, including lingering cough, depleting blood oxygen levels and shortness of breath, which can last for over 2-3 months and require care and symptomatic treatment. Some symptoms, such as fatigue and weakness could last for even longer.

Apart from this, long COVID disorder could also trigger off a wide range of side effects and symptoms, which could impair or cause problems in the long run- including lung damage, sleep issues, memory issues, mental health disorders and frail immunity.

Since research on the condition is still so inconclusive, the options for treating long COVID, or post-COVID syndrome are fairly limited right now.

There have been some cities wherein specialized post-COVID-care clinics have opened up. However, even as doctors brace for the tsunami of long COVID cases to come up following hard waves of the virus, the crucial step remains to diagnose the infection and manage the symptoms accordingly. Since post-COVID-syndrome could affect the body in different ways, there is no one specific treatment that helps people suffering from long COVID. Even so, while a number of medicinal trials are being tried out, doctors do assert that the number one way to manage long COVID is to take frequent rest, recognize the disability and seek symptomatic treatment.

Since long COVID could also afflict patients with problems that impact vital organs, patients are also encouraged to undergo clinical checks and scans at the time of recovery so as to better manage symptoms in the long run.

New research also seems to suggest that rehabilitation may be beneficial, particularly for COVID patients with serious lung damage. Light exercise and a gradual increase in activity may also be helpful in gaining a sense of normalcy.

COVID-19 vaccines which have been approved for use have been found to be well-effective in lowering the severity and mortality associated with the infection. However, scientists are yet unclear is vaccines could help relieve symptoms of long COVID-19 and provide patients with some degree of relief or not.

However, as for the people who have had long COVID and gotten vaccinated, the results have been encouraging.

As per a UK clinical study conducted on 800 people with long COVID, yet to be peer-reviewed, 57% saw an overall improvement in their symptoms, 24% no change and 19% a deterioration after their first dose of vaccine. Therefore, while vaccines are still subject to some level of scrutiny, experts are advising patients who have recovered to get vaccinated and seek support for their symptoms.