(Forbes) A new UK study shows that being infected with Covid-19 is linked to an increased risk of poor cardiovascular health and death. The risk is greatest within the first 30 days of infection and for those whose infection required hospitalization, but the risk also remains heightened for those who did not experience a severe infection. When compared with a matched control group of peers who didn’t catch the virus, those infected with Covid-19 were three times as likely to have a blood clot in a vein and more than 10 times as likely to die of any cause.
This study is the latest in a rapidly growing body of research demonstrating that Covid-19 infection impacts our health well beyond the acute stage of the illness. A different preprint also concludes that two or more Covid-19 reinfections double the risk for death, blood clots, and lung damage, among other negative health outcomes, reinforcing the fact that Covid-19 is by no means the mild virus that many are treating it as. With surges predicted in winter, we must remain vigilant and take steps to protect ourselves, including wearing high-quality N95 masks, avoiding crowded spaces, and remaining aware of the seropositive rate in your community so you can modify your behavior accordingly and ensuring you receive boosters every 4 months. [link to BMJ Study]