Pediatrics

How effective are vaccines against long COVID in children?

March 13, 2024

This retrospective study found a moderate protective effect of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination against long COVID. The effect is stronger in adolescents, who have higher risk of long COVID, and wanes over time.

• This study used data from 17 health systems in the RECOVER PCORnet electronic health record (EHR) Program for visits after vaccine availability.
• Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate vaccine effectiveness (VE) against long COVID with matching on age group (5-11, 12-17) and time period and adjustment for sex, ethnicity, health system, comorbidity burden, and pre-exposure health care utilization.
• Researchers examined both probable (symptom-based) and diagnosed long COVID in the year following vaccination.
• The vaccination rate was 56% in the cohort of 1,037,936 children. The incidence of probable long COVID was 4.5% among patients with COVID-19, while diagnosed long COVID was 0.7%.
• Adjusted vaccine effectiveness within 12 months was 35.4% against probable long COVID and 41.7% against diagnosed long COVID.
• VE was higher for adolescents (50.3%) than children ages 5-11 (23.8%).
• VE was higher at 6 months (61.4%) but decreased to 10.6% at 18 months.

Source:

Razzaghi H, et al. (2024, January 16). Pediatrics. Vaccine Effectiveness Against Long COVID in Children. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38225804/