ANYONE who had Covid in the last six months could be at risk of a deadly side effect, a study found.
People who caught the bug less than half a year ago are more likely to get blood clots.
Researchers from Sweden discovered there is a risk of deep vein thrombosis up to three months post-infection and of a blood clot in the lung up to six months later.
There is also a greater chance of a “bleeding event” in the two months after being ill.
This is extra evidence vaccines are vitally important in protecting against Covid complications, which aren’t limited to when you are actually infected.
Omicron, which has become dominant in the last six months, generally causes a milder illness – with most people recovering at home.
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However experts found some mild non-hospitalised Covid patients were at risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism – although the study will have largely been done before Omicron emerged.
“Our findings arguably support thromboprophylaxis to avoid thrombotic events, especially for high risk patients, and strengthen the importance of vaccination against Covid-19,” they concluded.
The chances of getting a blood clot were found to be higher in the first wave of the pandemic.
This suggests improvements in treatment and wide-ranging vaccine coverage caused the risk to be lessened.
In a linked editorial, researchers at the University of Glasgow looked into the prospect of many governments removing restrictions and shifting their focus to “living with Covid.”
They added this study “reminds us of the need to remain vigilant to the complications associated with even mild SARS-CoV-2 infection, including thromboembolism”.
It is thought there is a higher risk of blood clots after catching Covid due to the massive inflammatory response that can happen in some patients.
Most people will recover without any issues, but as we learn more about the virus it is something to keep an eye on just to be safe.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot forms in one of the deep veins of your body, usually in your legs.
If a blood clot breaks off from a DVT and travels to the lung, this causes a pulmonary embolism (PE). This can be fatal.
The signs and symptoms of a DVT include:
- Swelling, usually in one leg (or arm)
- Leg pain or tenderness
- Reddish / blue skin discoloration
- Leg (or arm) warm to touch
The signs and symptoms of a PE include:
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Chest pain-sharp, stabbing; that may get worse with deep breaths
- A rapid heart rate
- Unexplained cough, sometimes with blood-streaked mucus
