Coronavirus booster vaccines to be offered to over 50s in Autumn
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Keeping up with the ever-changing scope of coronavirus symptoms has proven a challenge for scientists. It has been overwhelmingly clear from the get-go that vaccinations reduce the risk of severe illness. Now recent findings have suggested the risk of certain Covid symptoms may be greater for the fully inoculated. The data, released by the Covid app, suggests that unexplained sneezing post-vaccination may warrant a Covid test.
The latest findings come from daily reports on the Zoe Covid Study app, which enables researchers to spot the top five current cover symptoms.
According to the app’s latest findings, symptoms differ slightly for patients who have been inoculated against the virus once or twice.
Data showed that “fewer symptoms were reported over a shorter period of time by those who had already had a jab, suggesting that they were falling less seriously ill and getting better more quickly”.
After just one dose of the vaccination, however, the ranking of symptoms differs slightly:
- Headache
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- Sneezing
- Persistent cough.
After two vaccinations, the ranking of COVID symptoms appears to be as follows:
- Runny nose
- Headache
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Persistent cough.
Interesting, sneezing did not even feature in the list of top Covid symptoms among the unvaccinated.
The Zoe app noted: “Curiously, we noticed that people who had been vaccinated and then tested positive for COVID-19 were more likely to report seeing sneezing as a symptom compared with those without a jab.
“If you’ve been vaccinated and start sneezing a lot without explanation, you should get a COVID test, especially if you are living or working around people who are at greater risk from the disease.”
The Office for National Statistics has put estimations of current coronavirus cases at one in 17 people in the last week.
Experts have noticed a marked increase in the number of older people contracting the disease, particularly in England and Wales.
Sarah Crofts, deputy director for the ONS Covid survey, stressed the need to monitor numbers as the winter months roll in.
She added: “Infections have risen across much of the United Kingdom, continuing the pattern of steady increases seen over recent weeks, although Scotland and North East of England have uncertain trends in the latest week.”
Doctor Mary Ramsay, director of public health programmes at the UK Health Security Agency, reiterated the importance of boosting immune defences as Covid cases increase.
She said: “We’re seeing sustained increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalisation rates, so we continue to urge those eligible for vaccinations to come forward, whether that’s a first dose or a booster.
“Vaccines are the best protection against severe disease and hospitalisation this winter and it’s never too late to take up your first dose.
“If you are unwell or have symptoms or a respiratory infection, it is particularly important to avoid contact with elderly people or those who are more likely to have severe disease because of their ongoing health conditions.”
Experts have warned that added pressure from increasing flu rates in coming months could lead to a “Twindemic”.
The co-circulation of influenza and coronavirus is most threatening for anyone aged over 60, pregnant women, and the immunocompromised.
Pharmacists across the UK offering COVID-19 vaccine services are emphasising the need for vulnerable people in these groups to top up their defences with a booster vaccine.
While vaccines provide protection against severe disease, some variants of coronavirus are better than others at escaping antibodies.
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