Regarding post-COVID-19 lung abnormalities:
The following study of 104 Diamond Princess cruise ship passengers found that 41 (54%) out of 76 asymptomatic COVID-19 recovered patients had lung abnormalities in CT scans. For those who were symptomatic 22 (79%) out of 28 had lung abnormalities.
It may be, but the numbers seem to be similar to a German study I saw much earlier in the course of things (summer?). There was also a scuba doctor (also from Europe) who said it he saw the same in people coming to him for check ups post Covid and prior to diving. Asymptomatic people could be getting checked out in order to do things like sports. Isnāt it required for a lot of sports? (And if so, is there data from athletes?)
I agree it would be very helpful if more studies start to become available. There are certainly enough who have had it by now.
This is interesting, but it would be so much more interesting to me if it was done with a bit more of a gap of time. This was published March 17, 2020, so very soon after the cruise. Iād be really interested to know if the lungs looked ok or still problematic a couple of months later. Hopefully there will be longer-term follow up studies (and even more hopefully, the lungs look good later). Although I know I still have some light scarring in my lungs from a past case of pneumonia, and Iād have not a clue about itāI run half marathons and donāt skip a beat (of course I donāt win!). Not saying Iād choose for me or my kids to get scarring on lungs, but what I have seems extremely unlikely to impact my life in any way different from a scar on my arm or knee. But I donāt think athletes (certainly not high school or college) regularly get chest xrays or ct-scans as part of their physicals. I agree itās likely that the people who got those scans were not a random selection of post-covid patients, but people who for some reason were seeking a scan. I feel terrible for our long-haulers, but at this point I know sooo many young covid-survivors, and the only lingering effect is 1 who has ācovid toesāāsome red splotches that she hopes will clear up before sandal season (already diminishing), so I pray that this is representative and that the long-haul is fairly rare. I hope the rarity enables our doctors to provide more individual help to the long-haulers. Obviously there are a million reasons to stay vigilant, so in no way do I aim to diminish concern about covid, but I also would love to have a well-designed study-based pile of information that lets us know how likely survivors are to have lingering harmful effects that truly will affect them, a few months after infection.
We need to hope the lung scarring gets better. Humans are great at adapting to lung damage - our bodies are designed that way. We can live with one lung and no one can really tell the difference in everyday life (my FIL has done so since his younger days). Butā¦ it seems to come into play when one is older, esp with exertion.
If there is heart/lung damage among those who had Covid, my suspicion is itās going to haunt them in their older ages unless the body can fix it given time. Not sure what the kidney and brain damage will do long term, if anything.
Iām definitely in the camp of wanting to see more data - there are plenty of folks out there now who had it months ago. Is there improvement?
I believe I recall reading that college athletes who had Covid had to undergo medical testing before they could return to play. Perhaps that was just for one college? If not, is there data?
Iām going to have to figure out how to politely push my guy to go get checked out. They should have his x-rays to compare with from back in March. This curious mom would love to know whatās going on.
@Creekland, I hope he can check out both lungs and heart. Here is an article on heart inflammation from COVID: [What COVID-19 is doing to the heart, even after recovery https://www.heart.org/en/news/2020/09/03/what-covid-19-is-doing-to-the-heart-even-after-recovery
āAnother JAMA Cardiology study used cardiac MRIs on 100 people who had recovered from COVID-19 within the past two to three months. Researchers found abnormalities in the hearts of 78% recovered patients and āongoing myocardial inflammationā in 60%. The same study found high levels of the blood enzyme troponin, an indicator of heart damage, in 76% of patients tested, although heart function appeared to be generally preserved. Most patients in the study had not required hospitalization.ā
The article does say that many āspontaneously recover.ā
But many viruses can cause myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle), it is a known thingā¦and the most common cause of myocarditis. With that said, definitely need to continue following covid patients and paying attention to these side effects and whether they are resulting in long-term damage. Most myocarditis caused by viruses does not result in long term damage to the heart.
Yes many viruses can cause myocarditis. I was just posting about COVID. And I included the comment that it may heal spontaneously. Still, in reference to @Creeklandās son, I was just suggesting that both lungs and heart get checked out.
@ucbalumnus or others, I am trying to research how long people who have had COVID should wait until they have a vaccine. The answers online vary, from 90 days since the positive test, to 14.
My motherās assisted living wants to vaccinate her next Monday 1/25 but she is still symptomatic, though much better. Her private nurse agency says 30 days from positive test.
Dr. Fauci has said those who have had covid should wait 90 days before getting vaccinated, hereās one source, but there are many. Have you asked your momās doctor? (and glad she is feeling better!)
@Mwfan1921 the article mentions the āwidespread public health adviceā that recommends that people who have COVID get a vaccine whenever it is available to them.
I had read Fauciās 90 day recommendation but thanks for sending this link, which explains his reasons. I would love to know more about the issue of interference between natural antibodies and the vaccine.
I imagine her doctor will go with the public health advice, but am asking.
Itās confusing for sure, but Fauci is one of our public health leaders.
Will be interested to hear what her doc says, and also might ask her assisted living leaders, and care nurses to show you the data that supports their recommendations. Itās reasonable to ask for that, and why they arenāt following what Fauci says.
I have actually been wondering why no one seems to be making public statements suggesting people who have recently recovered from covid should consider waiting a while before getting vaccinated, so that people who have not yet had covid could get vaccinated first. Reinfections appear to be exceedingly rare, certainly within a couple of months of infection, so it just seems like the appropriate thing to do would be to wait until all the people who do not yet have any antibodies get vaccinated, and by then, our vaccine supply should have ramped up so thereās plenty to go around. Fauci pointing out that there are medical reasons why one might want to wait 90 days is a good medical reason on top of any ethical type of reasoning for waiting a bit. Compmom, I do not mean to suggest what should happen in your own momās case and I wish her all the best; my thinking on this topic largely revolved around younger people who have recovered and are being offered the vaccine due to their jobs, etc. Their risk profile based on younger age coupled with antibodiesā¦it just irks me that those people wouldnāt just step aside for a few months. But Iāve been trying not be judgmentalā¦obviously I need to try harder! 
I have NO medical background, so appreciate more input from those in the know:
For those who have tested positive for Covid: Might waiting or not also depend on the severity of Covid to help decide if or when to get the vaccine? I know people who tested positive, with very little (if any) symptoms. Would that not mean they are also more likely to get it again, and perhaps better to not wait the 90 days? The CDC seems to indicate only those treated with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma wait the 90 days, which seems to imply wait only if youāve had a worse case.
This was copied from the CDC website: Yes. Due to the severe health risks associated with COVID-19 and the fact that reinfection with COVID-19 is possible, you should be vaccinated regardless of whether you already had COVID-19 infection. If you were treated for COVID-19 symptoms with monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma, you should wait 90 days before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your doctor if you are unsure what treatments you received or if you have more questions about getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
I know of two folks in health care ā 1 med school faculty member who also sees patients and the other a nurse ā who had covid and both were strongly advised to get the vaccine by their institution now and not wait.
Fauci said there was a possible āinterferenceā between immunity from having COVID and the vaccine. I would like to read more on that
Immune response varies with age and other factors. I have read that for some, it may run out after 30 days, and for others, much longer. I would assume an elderly person like my mother would have a weaker immune response to both the virus and the vaccine.
For the assisted living, it is a matter of convenience to vaccinate everyone at once. I assume a team from CVS comes. If we waited past 2/15, my mother would have to be a special case with someone coming in only for her, and who knows if a vaccine will even be available.
The assisted living administration relies on a public health expert from the hospital that owns the facility. So far, that expertās advice has brought a large outbreak, and I am not feeling trusting of her.
I had thought of asking for data, but the AL director is already snippy with me on this!
I think the best compromise is for my mother to get her vaccine on 2/15 and 3/8, and not on 1/25 and 2/15. They are offering three dates to accommodate people who donāt feel well on 1/25. (She is still having symptoms, thought with dementia it is hard to differentiate between COVID residual symptoms and the effects of being in bed for three weeks, and alone).
One of the strategies for getting more vaccine for more people was to test people for antibodies, and if they have them, to step back and wait to get the vaccine. I suppose that is impractical, but it might really help to get us to herd immunity.
I was surprised that my 89 yr old father who lives in assisted living was vaccinated without question. He had it in the spring (so more than 90 days ago) but he is considered in the same category as those who havenāt had it and therefore have no immunity.
Interesting article on autoimmunity and COVID, both acute cases and ālong haul.ā
Rogue antibodies could be driving severe COVID-19 (nature.com)
A new paper today about covid and the heart (lots we still donāt know):
https://science.sciencemag.org/content/370/6515/408
Dr Eric Topol from twitter just now(unpublished data):
āA bit more I learned today (unpublished) thatās reassuring:
Of 750 professional athletes who had covid + systematically screened (troponin, echo, and if abnormal MRI), only 5 (0.7%) had evidence of myocarditis.
(Much larger N and lower % than some of the college athlete reports)ā