"Long Covid" is becoming a bigger and bigger issue in which there is a paucity, but increasing amount of data about. There is no doubt that some patients after infection, can have pulmonary, neurological, cardiac and renal damage.
There is a
paper today on JAMA about this from Paris, and an
accompanying editorial. This certainly makes for sobering reading to say the least.
The UK is doing a blinded study. About 7 to 8 years ago, the UK started their genetic database study. They have around 500,000 individuals who have agreed to have detailed genetic analysis and be followed over time. This is the UK Biobank They have taken this group and done CT scans of lung, head and heart. They now have 1500 of these individuals who have had Covid-19. They are now repeating the studies on these individuals and will have before and after scans. This should provide a lot of information.
As far as people recovering after vaccination, if true that would be very interesting. There is a theory, that this problem is the result of ongoing viral infection. This is certainly a minority view. However there was a PM series from Germany where live virus was cultured from myocardial cells. So if vaccination is improving chronic covid symptome, it seems to me that would give credence to the chronic viral infection theory.
I'm still afraid there is more we don't know, than do know about this virus. We certainly have not seen its like before.
Meanwhile the EU may upset the UK and US vaccination program. After holding up the AstraZeneca vaccine and bad mouthing it. They now want it, despite having stocks of unused vaccine. The EU president, Ursula fond of Lying is calling a meeting of the European Council next week. She wants to invoke article 122 of the EU constitution, in an attempt to ban all vaccine exports and any ingredients for same from the EU. In addition they are threatening sanctions against the UK unless they make up the AstraZeneca vaccine shortfall from UK production. This ban on ingredients could have a severe negative impact on UK and US vaccine production and derail both our programs. Remember Italy has already diverted Australian vaccine the Australians have paid for. So they already have form on this. There are also racial undertones, as they are refusing to accept production from the Serum Institute of India, despite the UK giving vaccine produced at that plant their seal of approval.
This whole affair could get very nasty, and certainly affect UK vaccine distribution, and possibly also derail US distribution.
As I have pointed out before, this crisis the EU are confronting is of their own making, and they are now resorting to telling "porkies" about their vaccine acquisition dates pertaining to timing and pricing. This really is something we could all do without in this ongoing crisis.
