The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has undertaken a rapid evidence review looking at the effects of vaccination against long COVID or post-COVID symptoms. The review includes 15 UK and international studies that were undertaken up until January 2022.

An estimated 2% of the UK population have reported symptoms of long COVID or post-COVID syndrome, which can last for more than 4 weeks after their initial infection. The 3 most common symptoms are fatigue, shortness of breath and muscle or joint pain.

Eight of the studies in the review looked at the effect of vaccinations administered before infection. Most of these studies suggest that vaccinated people (one or 2 doses) were less likely to develop symptoms of long COVID following infection compared with unvaccinated people – in the short term and long term (4 weeks up until 6 months after infection).

The data from some of the studies included in the review suggests that:

• people with COVID-19 who received 2 doses of the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Janssen vaccine, were about half as likely as people who received one dose or were unvaccinated to develop long COVID symptoms lasting more than 28 days
• vaccine effectiveness against most post-COVID symptoms in adults was highest in people aged 60 years and over, and lowest for younger participants (19 to 35 years)

The remaining studies looked at the effects of vaccination among people who already had long COVID symptoms.

Four studies specifically compared long COVID symptoms before and after vaccination. Three of these studies suggested that more people with COVID-19 reported an improvement than a worsening in symptoms after vaccination, either immediately or over several weeks.

Another 3 studies of unvaccinated people with long COVID compared ongoing symptoms in those who either went on to receive a vaccination or remained unvaccinated. These studies suggested that those who were vaccinated were less likely to report long COVID symptoms after vaccination than people who remained unvaccinated over the same period.

One study looked specifically at the timing of vaccination after COVID-19 infection and suggested that people with COVID-19 who were vaccinated sooner after diagnosis were much less likely to report long COVID symptoms than people who were vaccinated later after diagnosis. All studies were observational, so results may be from differences other than vaccination.

In one study, of those participants who reported having long COVID, a greater proportion of vaccinated participants said their symptoms improved compared to unvaccinated participants (23.2% compared to 15.4% respectively).

Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at UKHSA, said:

These studies add to the potential benefits of receiving a full course of the COVID-19 vaccination. Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself from serious symptoms when you get infected and may also help to reduce the longer-term impact.

For most people symptoms of long COVID are short-lived and resolve overtime. But for some, symptoms can be more severe and disrupting to their daily lives.

If you’re experiencing unusual symptoms particularly for longer than 4 weeks after infection, you should consider contacting your GP.

The review concluded that people who received 2 doses of a vaccine against COVID-19 were less likely to develop long COVID symptoms or experience symptoms for a shorter time, compared with those unvaccinated.

Individuals who received a vaccination after being infected with COVID-19 also reported that the duration of post-COVID symptoms was less than for those who were unvaccinated. Two doses of the COVID-19 vaccination provide a high level of protection against long COVID, compared to one dose or no doses.

At Derby Magistrates on Monday 14 February 2022, Xiao Chaun Zhang, 41, of Prospect Road, Nottingham, was fined £400 and ordered to pay £690 costs while Weiqui Lui, 41, of Watermark Close, Nottingham, was fined £333 and ordered to pay costs of £683.

Commercial trapping of crayfish for human consumption is not permitted, because it can cause the spread of disease (known as the crayfish plague) from invasive signal crayfish to native white claw crayfish. This is fatal to native white claw crayfish.

Trapping also results in an increase in the population of signal crayfish, because it removes the larger crayfish which naturally predate on the smaller ones.

The court was told that the defendants were spotted by police officers, from the Derbyshire Wildlife and Rural Crime Team, near the St Mary’s Bridge on the River Derwent, Derby, around midnight on 23 July 2019.

The officers observed the defendants throwing traps into the river and later found some signal crayfish had been caught. A chicken carcass was also discovered which was being used as bait. The defendants had modified plastic mushroom crates to make traps to catch signal crayfish.

In a nearby vehicle officers found further crates and a coil of wire used to make the crayfish traps in the vehicles, while stacked under the bridge and in the River Derwent were other traps baited with chicken carcasses.

Following the verdict, a spokesperson for the Environment Agency, said:

This case shows how seriously the courts take these offences and we hope the high penalty will act as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of fishing for crayfish. Anyone wanting to fish for crayfish must contact the Environment Agency to apply for a permit first.

Fishing illegally can incur a fine of up to £2,500 and offenders can also have their fishing equipment seized.

Money raised from fishing licence sales is used to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries, benefitting anglers and, for those caught cheating the system, we will always prosecute.

The Environment Agency regulates crayfish fishing to protect native white clawed crayfish. Licences can be granted for commercial reasons, fisheries management and scientific research.

Anyone with information about illegal fishing activities can contact the Environment Agency Incident Hotline 24/7 on 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The charges

On 23 July 2019, Xiao Chuan Zhang/Weiqui Liu, on the River Derwent, Derby, where fishing for or taking fish may be authorised under section 27A Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975, did fish for crayfish by means other than a licensable means of fishing namely an authorised crayfish trap contrary to Section 27B(1) Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975

Other Information

The Environment Agency carries out enforcement work all year round and is supported by partners including the police and the Angling Trust.

Fisheries enforcement work is intelligence-led, targeting known hot-spots and where illegal fishing is reported.

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence. A 1-day licence costs from just £6 and an annual licence costs from just £30 (concessions available).

Junior licences are free for 13 - 16-year olds. Licences are available from www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence or by calling the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.