Study finds vaccines reduce impacts of long-haul COVID-19 symptoms

(Rochester, MN) -- A study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic suggests that COVID-19 vaccinations are beneficial to those who later suffer from long-term COVID symptoms.  

The study published in late July in the Journal of Investigative Medicine followed 477 patients seeking treatment for long COVID at the Rochester-based clinic.  About half of those patients were vaccinated before suffering from long COVID, and researchers found they were less likely to suffer from symptoms like weakness, dizziness and loss of taste or smell.  

"These results were quite surprising to us," says Greg Vanichkachorn, M.D., medical director of Mayo Clinic's COVID Activity Rehabilitation Program and the study's lead author in a statement, "This study shows that vaccines can be really important for long-haul COVID and can help reduce the severity of the condition."

Drug companies that make COVID-19 vaccines are expected to roll out new booster shots in the U.S. later this month.