Long Covid is less common among fully vaccinated, UK Health Security Agency finds

Those who have been fully vaccinated from the Covid-19 are less likely to have Long Covid, the UK Health Security Agency has found.

The findings came from a new review of 15 studies released today.

The UKHSA's review found an estimated 2% of the UK population had reported symptoms of Long Covid which can last for more than four weeks after their initial infection.

The top three most reported symptoms are fatigue, shortness of breath and muscle or joint pain.

Eight of the 15 studies looked at the effect of the jab administered before contracting the virus.

Most of these studies suggest that vaccinated people (with either one or two doses) were less likely to develop symptoms of Long Covid after they caught the virus compared with unvaccinated people.

UKHSA said the people who were vaccinated were around half as likely to develop symptoms of Long Covid compared to the unvaccinated (AFP via Getty Images)

The review looked at people who received two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech , AstraZeneca or Moderna vaccine, or one dose of the single-shot J&J vaccine.

Four of the studies compared long Covid symptoms before and after vaccination, and three of those suggested that more people reported an improvement in Long Covid symptoms rather than a worsening following vaccination.

In three further studies, it was found that Long Covid symptoms improved in those were vaccinated, compared to those who remained unvaccinated.

Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at UKHSA, said today: "These studies add to the potential benefits of receiving a full course of the COVID-19 vaccination.

"Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself from serious symptoms when you get infected and may also help to reduce the longer-term impact.

"For most people symptoms of long COVID are short-lived and resolve over time.

"But for some, symptoms can be more severe and disrupting to their daily lives.

The findings came from a new review of 15 studies released today (AFP via Getty Images)

"If you're experiencing unusual symptoms particularly for longer than four weeks after infection, you should consider contacting your GP."

It comes as NHS bosses could face a bill of up to £230 million to treat ­patients with Long Covid.

Around 1.3 million people say they are suffering from the grim aftermath of the coronavirus, including exhaustion, breathlessness and “brain fog”.

But the cost of treating them could be higher than the £134m pledged by NHS England for 2021/22.

As many as 381,000 full-time equivalent workers may have been off with Long Covid, according to an independent analysis.