But one important question about breakthrough infection that remains unanswered is: Can the vaccinated develop so-called long COVID? The risk of developing long COVID for the fully vaccinated who get infected after vaccination has not been studied. These long COVID symptoms included a mix of prolonged loss of smell, persistent cough, fatigue, weakness, labored breathing or muscle pain. Chen said it will take several months before patients with long COVID from a breakthrough infection are enrolled in studies. Despite the lack of data, one thing is clear: Getting vaccinated will reduce the risk of getting infected and getting long COVID, said Athena Akrami, a neuroscientist at University College London who collected and published data from nearly 4,000 long COVID patients after developing long COVID herself after a March 2020 bout with COVID-19.

Source: Indian Express August 17, 2021 04:07 UTC