COVID-19 booster vaccine uptake and reduced risks for long-COVID: A cross-sectional study of a U.S. adult population

Zhigang Xie; Sericea Stallings-Smith; Shraddha Patel; Stuart Case; Young-Rock Hong

doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.04.070

COVID-19 booster vaccine uptake and reduced risks for long-COVID: A cross-sectional study of a U.S. adult population

Vaccine. 2024 Apr 25:S0264-410X(24)00509-7. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.04.070. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Zhigang Xie¹, Sericea Stallings-Smith², Shraddha Patel², Stuart Case³, Young-Rock Hong³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Public Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States. Electronic address: zhigang.xie@unf.edu.
² Department of Public Health, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL, United States.
³ Department of Health Services Research, Management, and Policy, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.

PMID: 38670844
DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.04.070

Abstract

Long-COVID (having symptoms lasting 3 months or longer post-infection) is an emerging public health concern, yet research on whether COVID-19 booster vaccines can mitigate this condition is limited. This study examined associations between booster uptake and long-COVID prevalence among U.S. adults. Data were analyzed from 8757 adults aged 18 years or older with a history of COVID-19 infection from the 2022 National Health Interview Survey. Weighted prevalence and logistic regression models examined relationships between self-reported COVID-19 booster vaccination status and long-COVID, adjusting for sociodemographics and health factors. 19.5 % reported experiencing long-COVID. Individuals receiving the COVID-19 booster vaccine had significantly lower adjusted odds of long-COVID (OR 0.75, 95 % CI 0.61-0.93) compared to unvaccinated individuals. Overall, these findings suggest that COVID-19 booster vaccination is associated with a reduced prevalence of long-COVID among the U.S. adult population, underscoring the importance of optimizing booster uptake to mitigate the long-term impacts of COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19 boost vaccine; Comorbidity; Long-COVID.