With a new administration in power and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. now at the helm of the Department of Health and Human Services, the scientific community appears poised to uncover and acknowledge previously dismissed issues surrounding COVID-19 vaccines and their associated injuries.
For years, thousands of Americans have suffered debilitating side effects following COVID-19 vaccination but were consistently told there was no evidence connecting their symptoms to the shot. Many individuals who came forward were quickly labeled anti-vaxxers, while others had their symptoms dismissed outright, attributed instead to psychological factors or unrelated conditions such as long COVID.
All of that changed this week when Yale researchers published a study explaining why some people experience chronic symptoms lasting months or even years after COVID-19 vaccination—and, shockingly, the mainstream media picked it up.
The research was part of Yale’s Listen to Immune, Symptom, and Treatment Experiences Now (LISTEN) study, designed specifically to identify immunological differences between people who developed post-vaccination syndrome (PVS) and those who received COVID-19 vaccines without lasting symptoms.
PVS is characterized by chronic symptoms including persistent fatigue, brain fog, exercise intolerance, dizziness, insomnia, muscle weakness, and neurological complaints. These symptoms typically arise within days of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine and can persist indefinitely, significantly affecting daily life.
In their preprint study published on MedRxiv, researchers led by immunologist Dr. Akiko Iwasaki analyzed blood samples from 42 participants who experienced PVS symptoms and 22 vaccinated individuals who did not. The vaccines administered to those reporting symptoms included Pfizer (14 participants), Moderna (21 participants), Johnson & Johnson (4 participants), and an unknown vaccine type (3 participants).
The median age of participants was 42.5 years. The most frequent symptoms reported by those with PVS were excessive fatigue (85%), tingling and numbness (80%), exercise intolerance (80%), brain fog (77.5%), difficulty concentrating or focusing (72.5%), trouble falling or staying asleep (70%), neuropathy (70%), muscle aches (70%), anxiety (65%), tinnitus (60%), and burning sensations (57.5%).
Upon analysis researchers found striking differences in immune responses between those with PVS and those without. Participants with PVS had notably lower levels of memory and effector CD4 T cells, which are crucial for coordinating the body’s immune defenses. Additionally, these individuals exhibited higher levels of inflammatory TNF-alpha+ CD8 T cells, highlighting an immune system imbalance that may contribute directly to their chronic symptoms.
Perhaps most alarming, however, was the detection of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein circulating in the blood of some PVS patients months after vaccination. Detectable levels of the S1 subunit of the spike protein were seen in plasma up to 709 days after the most recent dose.
This finding starkly contrasts with initial assurances from health officials that the spike protein produced by the vaccine would remain localized at the injection site and not circulate through the body.
“We don’t know if the level of spike protein is causing the chronic symptoms, because there were other participants with PVS who didn’t have any measurable spike protein — but it could be one mechanism underlying this syndrome,” said Iwasaki.
These revelations align closely with other studies showing persistent spike protein in individuals suffering from symptoms initially attributed to long COVID, suggesting a potentially shared mechanism underlying symptoms of both PVS and long COVID. The spike protein itself has been associated with numerous health complications, further emphasizing the significance of these findings.
“It’s clear that some individuals are experiencing significant challenges after vaccination,” stated Dr. Harlan Krumholz, co-senior author and professor of cardiology at Yale School of Medicine. “Our responsibility as scientists and clinicians is to listen to their experiences, rigorously investigate the underlying causes, and seek ways to help.”
Further studies need to be done to truly understand how common COVID vaccine side effects are and how to treat them, but at least now scientists are beginning to acknowledge the problem and are expressing willingness to have the conversation.
