A new study has suggested that long COVID may be no worse than the flu - if you're up to date with your vaccinations.
Long COVID is the name given to the lingering post-infection effects of COVID-19, which can stay for weeks or months.
The study, conducted by Queensland Health, showed the impacts may be almost identical to the common flu.
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The research was carried out in mid-2022, and covered 2200 adults who were diagnosed with COVID-19 and another 1000 diagnosed with the flu.
They were tracked for 12 weeks after an initial diagnosis.
The study found 21 per cent of the COVID-19 patients reported they were still feeling some ongoing symptoms after that 12 weeks, with four per cent saying the symptoms were mid-level to severe.
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Some reported their everyday functions were impaired.
Of the flu patients, 23 per cent said they were still feeling symptoms after 12 weeks, with four per cent claiming mid-level to severe affliction.
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard stressed to the Courier-Mail it was critical to note that the research was carried out when Queensland was highly vaccinated.
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He cited other peer-reviewed studies which showed the jab had lessened the impact of long COVID.
Gerrard said the findings, while surprising, didn't detract from the severity of COVID-19, but revealed that it behaved in a similar manner to other viruses.
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