A new study has revealed that Covid-19 reinfections pose a significantly lower risk of developing long Covid compared to an initial infection. The research, conducted among healthcare workers in Quebec, found that the likelihood of experiencing long Covid symptoms drops by nearly two-thirds after a second or third infection.
Key Findings of the Study
The study, published on medRxiv, analyzed data from 22,496 online survey participants and 3,978 telephone survey respondents. Researchers discovered that:
- The risk of long Covid after a first infection was 14.8%, whereas the risk after a second reinfection dropped to 5.8%.
- Severe symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and neurocognitive issues were 5 to 22 times more common in long Covid cases compared to regular Covid cases.
- The Omicron variant was associated with the lowest risk of long Covid, while infections from earlier strains had a higher likelihood of causing persistent symptoms.
Why Reinfections Carry Lower Risk
Experts suggest that individuals who did not develop long Covid after their first infection may have greater resistance to the condition during subsequent reinfections. Additionally, immunity gained from prior infections could play a role in reducing the severity and duration of symptoms.
Implications for Public Health
The findings provide reassurance for individuals who have experienced multiple Covid-19 infections, indicating that the risk of long-term complications diminishes over time. However, researchers emphasize the importance of continued vaccination, preventive measures, and monitoring of long Covid cases to ensure better health outcomes.
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