COVID's long-term immune system impact

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Getting COVID-19 may damage your immune system By Alice Park Senior Health Correspondent Doctors are still working out exactly how the body protects itself against COVID-19, and one new study shows just how complicated the dance between SARS-CoV-2 and immune cells might be. Researchers led by a team at Stanford University found that people who were infected with the virus and then vaccinated with an mRNA vaccine didn't generate as strong an immune response as people who were vaccinated and had never been infected. The results suggest that an infection may damage so-called "killer T cells," a population of immune-system T cells that destroy and remove infected cells and are important for long-term protection. Here are the main takeaways from the research: People who never had COVID-19 generated levels of killer T cells 67 times higher after their shots; for people who had COVID-19 and then got vaccinated, the number of killer T cells produced was 3.6- to 54.1-fold lower. The researchers are continuing their work to see if the reduced T-cell response is related to Long COVID. In making booster recommendations, health officials should consider and study other vaccine types besides mRNA to see if this reduced immune-system response is related to Long COVID. READ MORE   Share the story

What else to read Rat Infestations Are a Global Problem. Is Birth Control the Solution? By Lisa Abend Step aside, rat poison. A new oral contraceptive for rodents may be the answer to the world's infestations. Read More » Your Struggle Is Your Superpower By Joanne Lipman The struggle isn't just necessary; in virtually every arena of transformation, it's the key to finding a solution. Read More » Column: Women Drive Wealth. So Why Is Equity Still Inequitable? By Shelley Zalis Money is being left on the table when women founders are overlooked. We need to change that. Read More » The Best Way to Break Up With Someone, According to Experts By Jamie Ducharme Ending a relationship is difficult, even if you're the one doing the dumping. (Originally published in 2018.) Read More » For Better Well-Being, Just Breathe By Emma Seppälä Emotions influence your breathing patterns, and changing your breathing can change your emotions. Read More »

ONE LAST READ Flying under the radar A growing underground movement for abortion access is happening high above the ground. NPR's Rose Conlon provides a great inside look at Elevated Access, a group of pilots flying women in small private planes to states with better abortion access than their own. Read More »

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