Thread by @fearnley_k

1/ Please @sfchronicle retract this misleading article by @MonicaGandhi9 with immediate effect.

sfchronicle.com/opinion/openfo…

2/ Quoting the results of a small-scale study, @MonicaGandhi9 misleadingly claims “… We should reassure the public that Long COVID can be prevented through vaccination. Studies with good controls suggest that vaccination reduces the risk of Long COVID significantly.”

3/ This is simply not true.

4/ Findings of this large-scale study showed vaccination only partially reduces the risk of death and post-acute sequelae - by 34% and 15%, respectively.

nature.com/articles/s4159…

6/ The greatest benefit appeared to be in reducing blood clotting & lung complications.

But there was **no difference** between the vaccinated & unvaccinated when it came to longer-term risks of neurological issues, gastrointestinal symptoms, kidney failure & other conditions.

A summary by the study author @zalaly

https://twitter.com/zalaly/status/1529494835584978944

7/ The large scale study very clearly concluded:

“The findings show that vaccination only partially reduces the risk of death and post-acute sequelae, suggesting that reliance on it as a sole mitigation strategy may not most optimally reduce the risk of the long-term health..

consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection.”

And that “…continued emphasis on primary prevention of breakthrough SARS-CoV-2” is required to reduce this burden.

9/ Vaccination does not “significantly” reduce risk of Long COVID as @MonicaGandhi9 falsely claims.

Such spread of deliberate and dangerous misinformation is a serious threat to public health. @sfchronicle, please retract immediately.

10/ Despite our collective wish to return to normality, #CovidIsNotOver. While current vaccines offer some protection, they are not as effective as we had initially hoped. Current treatments for acute Covid are not yet widely or easily accessible.

11/ Despite another false claim by @MonicaGandhi9, good-fitting, high-grade #FFP2 or #FFP3 masks do reduce transmission & save lives. #COVIDisAirborne, which means infectious particles are carried in the air. I encourage everyone to #WearAMask😷 esp when in indoor public spaces.

@doctorasadkhan @BinitaKane @avriljw @crannaghcrud @doctorsaz @drclairetaylor @ClareRayner6 @doctorfabrowski @ClaireHastie1