Two recent studies found COVID-19 vaccination and Paxlovid can reduce the risk of long COVID, CNN reported March 23.
The studies were published in JAMA Internal Medicine. One study analyzed 41 studies including more than 860,000 people worldwide. It found women, people who smoke or are overweight, and adults older than 40 are more likely to develop long COVID. People who are vaccinated against COVID-19 had almost half the risk of long COVID as unvaccinated people.
The other study found using Paxlovid within five days of a positive test was associated with 26 percent lower risk of long COVID, a 47 percent lower risk of death and a 24 percent lower risk of hospitalization 30 days after an initial infection, regardless of age, vaccination status and infection history, according to CNN.