COVID-19: Who is most at risk of developing Long COVID and BA.5 risk assessment
There is still much to learn about Long COVID but Fortune has an interesting article with educated guesses about who might be most at risk ( fortune.com ).๐งต1/
There is still much to learn about Long COVID but Fortune has an interesting article with educated guesses about who might be most at risk ( fortune.com ).๐งต1/
Researchers they spoke to identified at least 6 at risk groups:
- people with repeat COVID-19 infections regardless of severity
- people with high viral load during their infection
- people with dormant Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), one of the most common human viruses
2/
- people with repeat COVID-19 infections regardless of severity
- people with high viral load during their infection
- people with dormant Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), one of the most common human viruses
2/
- people with autoimmune antibodies circulating
- people who had neurological symptoms during infection
- people who have not been vaccinated
3/
- people who had neurological symptoms during infection
- people who have not been vaccinated
3/
Repeat infections are becoming enough of an issue that Public Health Ontario (PHO) recently released their evidence brief on the risk assessment of Omicron BA.5 which is now dominating the infections in the current Ontario wave ( publichealthontario.ca ). H/T: @CDAadvocate 3/
PHO strongly recommends bringing back public health measures to "minimize morbidity and mortality in Ontario, as well as societal disruption." 4/
"Based on evidence of significant immune evasion by BA.4/5 and waning immunity following vaccination, use of public health measures will be the most effective way to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, and includes: ..." 5/
"...wearing a well-fitted high quality mask whenever feasible in indoor spaces, crowded places (including outdoors) and close contact settings (e.g., public transit), staying home when sick or with symptoms of COVID-19, optimizing ventilation, and use of outdoor spaces" 6/
Note PHO is specifically recommending using quality masks in crowded places, *even* when outdoors (e.g. Ottawa Bluesfest) and calling for improved ventilation. This is because COVID-19 is spread in the air so don't breathe it in ( youtube.com ). 7/ #WeShareAir
Why is it important to prevent infection? "Emerging evidence indicates that reinfection adds risk of all-cause mortality, hospitalization and adverse health outcomes during acute and post-acute SARS-CoV-2 reinfection" 8/
With new variants coming out increasingly more frequently that can evade the immune response, some people are starting to become infected multiple times a year. 9/
This is especially a problem because, "There is increasing evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause immune dysregulation. Although all outcomes and the scale of immune dysregulation remain unclear, a potential increase in..." 10/
"...acquired impaired immunity in the Ontario population could have a significant impact on the incidence and associated burden of infectious diseases (e.g., high viral loads, increased antibiotic use and resistance) and other conditions in the longer-term." 11/
That COVID-19 infection you had that seemed just like a cold so no big deal, will have a profound long-term impact on some people and each time you get infected again, it gives you another chance to become one of those people. 12/
To help people protect themselves from COVID-19, Engineer Joey Fox has put together some info on stopping COVID in your home, reducing risk in schools, the office, hotels, on airplanes, and mitigating short range transmission which you can find here ( 13/
Loading suggestions...