Research is only beginning to emerge of the characteristics of post vaccination COVID. These are breakthrough cases where the symptoms are overwhelmingly milder. The Atlantic posted an opinion on September 21, 2021 suggesting such infections may become relatively routine. As medical science and an inventive virus continue to duel.
Research Cautions Against Relaxing Personal Protection
A new research report appeared in The Lancet on September 1, 2021. It suggests most breakthrough infections are ‘briefer, milder, and less contagious’. Although there are also more serious cases.
However, the infections are different from those affecting ‘immunologically naive’ people per Lindsey Baden. She is an infectious-disease physician and COVID-19 vaccine researcher at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Therefore, we could be dealing with ‘the social tax of a forever virus’ the article continues.
We might all eventually have to contend with an infection at a tamer, ‘more domesticated’ level. The report advises against ‘relaxing physical distancing and other personal protective measures in the post vaccination COVID era’.
Demographics Factors Affecting Post Vaccination COVID Severity
COVID-19 produces an unusually high range of symptoms that vary widely in terms of type and severity. However, vaccinations considerably reduce these in the vast majority of cases. Breakthrough infections also recover faster. Even Long COVID becomes less of a threat.
‘If I were a betting man,’ Lindsey Baden told The Atlantic ‘I’d say years from now, this will be another common cold’. The Lancet research report confirms breakthrough symptoms are less severe and clear sooner. However, vulnerable people with comorbidities will continue to shoulder the greater risk.
They researchers noted older people were less likely to contract post-vaccination infections. They surmised this might be due to them shielding themselves better. The report once again confirms how important it is to have full vaccination. And to continue with masking and social distancing afterwards.
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