“…With the obvious awareness that the most effective physical preventive measures that have been in place for long during the earlier phases of the COVID -19 pandemic cannot be perpetuated forever (ie, social distancing, lockdown, wearing of face masks), COVID -19 vaccines are now universally recognized as the only reliable means for preventing unfavorable progression of SARS -CoV -2 infection. 39 Nonetheless, interesting evidence is emerging that COVID -19 vaccines would not only be capable of efficiently limiting the risk of developing severe / critical COVID -19, but may also play a role in preventing long -COVID. A recent meta -analysis published by Notarte et al 40 including a total of 11 peer -reviewed studies and 6 preprints (until Overall, long -COVID primarily encompasses the presence of at least 1 symptom such as fatigue and / or weakness, dyspnea, impaired functional status, taste and / or smell dysfunction, depression, musculoskeletal and sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, and headache, while the most important demographical and clinical predictors seem to be female sex, older age, cigarette smoking, pre -existing medical conditions, lack of COVID -19 vaccination, infection with former SARS -CoV -2 variants (ie, pre -Omicron), number of acute phase symptoms, viral load, severe / critical COVID -19 illness, as well as invasive mechanical ventilation.…”