Posted on Aug 8, 2023
A new clue to the reason some people come down with long COVID
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https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2023/08/08/ [login to see] /a-new-clue-to-the-reason-some-people-come-down-with-long-covid
Stéphanie Longet is an immunologist and a COVID researcher at the University of Saint-Etienne in France, and just like 10-20% of adults who were infected with the virus, she continues to have symptoms well after her infection has resolved – a condition known colloquially as long COVID.
"I got COVID one year ago and I developed some persistent symptoms," she says. "I cannot work too long. My legs are quickly exhausted. In the morning it feels like I had run a marathon during the night, and I didn't do anything, I just slept."
Longet and other scientists don't exactly know why some people develop long COVID while others don't, but preliminary research released in medRxiv in July suggests that genetics plays a role.
Stéphanie Longet is an immunologist and a COVID researcher at the University of Saint-Etienne in France, and just like 10-20% of adults who were infected with the virus, she continues to have symptoms well after her infection has resolved – a condition known colloquially as long COVID.
"I got COVID one year ago and I developed some persistent symptoms," she says. "I cannot work too long. My legs are quickly exhausted. In the morning it feels like I had run a marathon during the night, and I didn't do anything, I just slept."
Longet and other scientists don't exactly know why some people develop long COVID while others don't, but preliminary research released in medRxiv in July suggests that genetics plays a role.
A new clue to the reason some people come down with long COVID
Posted from npr.org
Medical
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Posted 9 mo ago
Responses: 4
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."Why your genes may not fully dictate your COVID destiny
The latest research shows that there are clear connections between a person's genetics and how they respond to COVID. So does this mean that every individual's COVID fate was set in stone from the day they were born?
Hollenbach doesn't think so. "I don't believe that we are unnecessarily subjected to some kind of pre-destiny according to our genes," she says. "There's going to be many genetic and non-genetic factors that are going to be in play here."
One thing that Hollenbach says the scientific community agrees upon, and that this new research reinforces, is that, "you're more likely to have long COVID If you've had a very severe bout of COVID."
Which is why, according to Hollenbach, "vaccination is still our greatest tool" in the fight against COVID because it can prevent or reduce the severity of a COVID infection, reducing the chance someone develops long COVID.
In the meantime, however, there doesn't seem to be any imminent relief for those who are already dealing with the effects of long COVID. Longet suggests that people, "find different ways to organize your life. It's what I've done a little bit."
Working different hours, making diet modifications and trying light breathing exercises are all little things researchers have found to help manage symptoms.
Despite the lack of immediate help, Longet still believes that scientists will soon figure out a way to help resolve her symptoms and the symptoms of others with long COVID. "I'm hopeful because now there are quite a lot of studies and a lot of researchers who are working on this," she says. "I believe in science, so I'm quite hopeful.""
..."Why your genes may not fully dictate your COVID destiny
The latest research shows that there are clear connections between a person's genetics and how they respond to COVID. So does this mean that every individual's COVID fate was set in stone from the day they were born?
Hollenbach doesn't think so. "I don't believe that we are unnecessarily subjected to some kind of pre-destiny according to our genes," she says. "There's going to be many genetic and non-genetic factors that are going to be in play here."
One thing that Hollenbach says the scientific community agrees upon, and that this new research reinforces, is that, "you're more likely to have long COVID If you've had a very severe bout of COVID."
Which is why, according to Hollenbach, "vaccination is still our greatest tool" in the fight against COVID because it can prevent or reduce the severity of a COVID infection, reducing the chance someone develops long COVID.
In the meantime, however, there doesn't seem to be any imminent relief for those who are already dealing with the effects of long COVID. Longet suggests that people, "find different ways to organize your life. It's what I've done a little bit."
Working different hours, making diet modifications and trying light breathing exercises are all little things researchers have found to help manage symptoms.
Despite the lack of immediate help, Longet still believes that scientists will soon figure out a way to help resolve her symptoms and the symptoms of others with long COVID. "I'm hopeful because now there are quite a lot of studies and a lot of researchers who are working on this," she says. "I believe in science, so I'm quite hopeful.""
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I still have breathing issues and neck issues that I didn't have before my last bout with COVID (I have had three even with shots and boosters). So tell me again why I had to get the shots?
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