While COVID-19 vaccines have been instrumental in preventing the spread and severity of the disease for many, Yale scientists found that some develop chronic symptoms after receiving the vaccine.
They refer to the condition as post-vaccine syndrome (PVS) with the most common symptoms being exercise intolerance, excessive fatigue, brain fog, insomnia and dizziness.
According to researchers, symptoms typically develop shortly after vaccination and can become more severe within a day or two.
“It’s clear that some individuals are experiencing significant challenges after vaccination,” Harlan Krumholz, the Harold H. Hines, Jr. Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at Yale School of Medicine (YSM) and co-senior author of the study said.
“Our responsibility as scientists and clinicians is to listen to their experiences, rigorously investigate the underlying causes, and seek ways to help.”
Data from the study came from Yale’s Listen to Immune, Symptom and Treatment Experiences Now (LISTEN) study where they compared blood samples between 42 participants with PVS symptoms and 22 without.
Common drivers for PVS include a spoke in protein tissue and reactivation of Epstein-Barr Virus (EPV).
YSM Sterling professor of immunobiology and co-author of the study, Akiko Iwasaki, said that a better understanding of PVS and its drivers could lead to better vaccines with fewer side effects and create more effective methods for diagnosing and treating the syndrome.
“For instance, if we can determine why spike protein is persisting for as long as it is in some people, maybe we can remove it — with monoclonal antibodies, for example — and maybe that could help reduce PVS symptoms,” Iwasaki said.
Krumholz said they are only just starting to make headway with the PVS study and that there is more to be determined.
“Every medical intervention carries some risk, and it’s important to acknowledge that adverse events can occur with vaccines,” Krumholz said.
“Our focus must remain on understanding what these people are experiencing through rigorous science and addressing the needs of those affected with compassion and an open mind.”
