by James A. Bacon
There is still much we don’t know about the COVID-19 virus and the effect it has on the human body. One enduring mystery is the syndrome dubbed “long COVID,” when symptoms persist months or years after the infection. Why do some people get it while others don’t? What are the risk factors? What are the odds of contracting long COVID?
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) issued a preliminary report based on interviews of 68 Central Virginia residents a half year ago. Soon, according to the Virginia Mercury, VDH will conduct a study focusing on Southwest Virginia residents.
The findings of the initial study were informative. Obesity is a risk factor: 52% of long-COVID sufferers were obese, and another 27% were overweight. (The combined percentage is higher than the 68% of all Virginia adults being overweight or obese.) Failure to keep up with COVID vaccinations is another risk factor: 88% of long-COVID patients were not up-to-date with their vaccinations.
The more we know the better. The VDH studies are worthwhile. But there are other big knowledge gaps that warrant study — in particular, the prevalence of vaccination side effects. Some scientific studies have linked the vaccinations with a higher incidence of blood clotting, certain types of cancers and an elevated mortality rate in the population.
Why aren’t we studying the vaccination side effects as well?
I’d like to see a website where I can enter my personal data and ascertain my risk of…
- being hospitalized for COVID-19
- dying from COVID-19
- experiencing long COVID
- experiencing vaccination side effects
based upon the following data…
- age
- previous COVID exposure
- BMI index
- preexisting conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, chronic lung disease, etc.
- Vitamin D deficiency
- vaccination status
- any other known risk factors
Numerous websites list the major risk factors, but I found only one that asked fairly detailed information, and that was a Pfizer-sponsored questionnaire by Ada, a developer of health management apps. Based on two risk factors — age over 65 and hypertension — Ada told me I’m at “high risk for progression to severe COVID-19.”
Not terribly useful.
How severe is “severe COVID-19”? Requiring hospitalization?
How high is “high risk”? A 5% chance? A 50% chance?
What are the odds of getting long COVID? How much do I improve my odds if I get vaccinated?
Conversely, what are the odds of experiencing a severe vaccination side effect?
I’d like to know the risks so I can exercise informed judgments about the places I go and activities I undertake. I’d like to understand the risks pro and con for getting a second vaccine booster.
With the rise of personalized medicine and all the hype about Artificial Intelligence, surely someone is capable of developing such basic risk assessments. We’d all be better off if we could make informed decisions.