It’s only anecdotal, but I’ve heard about several people who have had long term symptoms suddenly improving upon being vaccinated. VERY interesting.
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I read an article about the vaccines helping some with long COVID. Wish I could cite it. Perhaps there should be a new prioritization of folks with long COVID after 30 days since illness. 90 days if they had antibodies. Particularly is there is any deterioriation over time, I would hope that people like @Snowball_City 's and @Creekland’s kids should be top priority for a shot.
My guy’s not top priority. He’s still in his 20s, doesn’t work as an essential worker, and has no health comorbidities - doesn’t smoke, isn’t obese, etc.
He plans on getting the vax, but he’s at the end of the line in NC.
But if vaccines help those with long COVID? Is he doing better? Hope so.
They’d have to move his group up and he was never officially diagnosed since they didn’t have tests to use in his area back in March. He just had a chest x-ray and the “official” diagnosis of “lower respiratory infection” with the doctor telling him, “likely Covid.”
He is doing better now, but it still affects him. We/he used to hike all the time (5-10 miles was common). In Feb when we were with them he had to pull out of a flat walk after approx 2 miles as he felt his chest getting tight and knew where it would lead. He had to work later, so couldn’t push it. Something is still affecting him.
Unfortunately a lot of people didn’t get diagnosed. I think of your son as I deal with my mother who is 94 and am glad noone younger in my family is dealing with this.
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D’s good friend’s dad just died this morning from Covid. He was in great health prior to contracting the virus. He has been in the hospital since mid-February, and he died (without family) today. I am so very sad.
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I am in NC visiting my sister now. My sister said that a lot of people are getting vaccinated through pharmacy end of d’y waitlist. A friend of her is volunteering on Saturday for half a day and will get vaccinated because of it. Maybe your son can look into it.
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Hopefully, “end of the line” means May 1st.
It might be worthwhile monitoring to see if long-haulers receiving the J&J vaccine report similar lessening of symptoms post-vaccine. Because my daughter had mild Covid (she described mild cold-like symptoms only) I was thinking the J&J would make sense for her. But no sign of lingering or long haul symptoms for her.
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I just sent that article to him - and med school lad. It would be nice if it helps folks, that’s for sure. I wouldn’t care which of their theories would prove correct - though following it is definitely something I plan to do. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks to everyone for the kind support and messages. My daughter is nerding out researching the implications of her different testing data as well as the conditions that she may have. I try to but I never took biology in college and a lot of the terminology is new to me. I think I am past the stage of crying as I read about the conditions.
She goes for her second vaccine shot in two weeks. It will be interesting to see if she experiences any change. So far, no change. She had the Pfizer vaccine. I am not going to get my hopes up.
My husband had covid last March. He gives plasma monthly so they test it to make sure he’s still got sufficient antibodies, and as of a few days ago, he still does, even though it’s been almost a year. He’s a long hauler, though, and after reading this article, I want him to get the vaccine as soon as he can (he’s not in a high risk group and is in the back of the line currently!)
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Someone on the vaccine rollout thread mentioned J and J being the best for those who had COVID. I have no idea…but if anyone wants to check it out over there.
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A dear, longtime friend almost made it to vaccine time. She died Jan. 20 from Covid. Her dh had passed 3 years before from cancer. They were my oldest son’s godparents. We did some big trips together. Major friends in our life, our “family” here really. They swept us up into their gatherings with their families as they both had family in the area and we had none. So generous and kind. They had retired to SC in 2000 but we remained close. Her memorial service was Friday. It’s impossible to imagine our lives without those two now. : (
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@Snowball_City, I have pulmonary issues and have done the rounds with pulmonology, cardiology, etc. If it’s pulmonary effusion – fluid around the outside of the lungs that inhibits full lung expansion – that can be treated with diuretics. (I am in this boat.) If she has a pulmonary embolism and is on oral contraceptives, she may need to switch to something else. Does she have a clotting disorder? These thoughts aren’t Covid-specific, but could be things that make the Covid parts worse for her. Totally agree with you on getting to specialists at this point.
I hope the docs are able to get her some relief from the symptoms and return to full health. Hadn’t heard about the vaccines helping some folks. That would be fabulous. Hope the medical community will be able to focus on long-haul issues now that folks are getting vaccinated.
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So sorry for the loss of your friend @VaBluebird .
I have thought about this - how now with the vaccine available, but not available to all, how another layer of devastation would be those who become sick and die from COVID now, knowing that there is protection out there, but they just didn’t qualify yet to receive. 
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@VaBluebird, Your friends sound like chosen family - so special. I am so sorry for your loss.
HUGS
That’s the reasoning between the age-based tiers – to reach those with the highest risk of dying first. There is also a need to balance that against the value of vaccinating those most likely to spread the disease to others – so from a public health standpoint, it’s essentially a math problem.
I certainly understand that each life is important and when a young, previously healthy person or a child dies from Covid, it’s small consolation for their survivors to know that they are the unlucky losers of the Covid lottery. But I think the vaccine is being distributed in most places as quickly as supply will allow.
Another article on long haulers and COVID vaccine:
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Amazing! I hope this helps convince those who have already had Covid to get the vaccine