COVID-19 vaccination reduced the risk of developing ‘long COVID’ by approximately 27% in adults fully vaccinated before infection, according to a literature review carried out by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

The review focused on studies conducted in Europe and similar regions. Given the very wide range of definitions for ‘long COVID’, the review focussed on those studies that specifically applied the World Health Organization’s clinical case definition for post COVID-19 condition (PCC). It found seven high-quality studies in adults, of which six reported a statistically significant reduction in the risk of PCC for vaccinated adults compared to those who were not vaccinated. However, there is still limited evidence on whether vaccination reduces the duration of PCC symptoms, or the risk of developing PCC in children, adolescents, and immunocompromised individuals.