Long COVID: A Systematic Review of Preventive Strategies

Since the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in December 2019, Long COVID (LC) has become a significant global health burden. While knowledge on LC is accumulating, studies on its prevention are still lacking. We conducted a systematic review following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Me-ta-Analyses) guidelines to investigate prevention options for LC. We identified fifteen articles on vaccines, seven on antivirals, and six on other interventions, after searching for articles in the PubMed/MEDLINE database using the MeSH terms. Most vaccine-related studies demonstrated a protective effect of COVID-19 vaccines against developing LC. COVID-19 vaccination is vital, as it not only prevents COVID-19 but also reduces severity of illness and may help prevent LC. Our review found an equivocal effect of antivirals while metformin had a protective effect in outpatients and corticosteroids in hospitalized patients against LC. Conversely, COVID-19 convalescent plasma and multiple micronutrient supplement, did not confer any protection against LC. Further studies are warranted to shed light on these topics.