Using painkillers after the first dose of COVID-19 vaccination boosts the risk of breakthrough infections, according to a recent study.
Breakthrough infections are COVID-19 cases among vaccinated individuals.
Researchers included subjects who received three COVID-19 shots and were not infected before the third vaccination. The study found that the use of painkillers “was associated with an increased risk of breakthrough infections.”
“The intake of painkillers after the first vaccination was higher in participants with a breakthrough infection than in participants without a breakthrough infection (34 percent vs. 26.5 percent),” the researchers said.
The increased likelihood of breakthrough infections following the use of painkillers was associated only with the first dose. The pattern “was not replicated during the second or third vaccination,” the study said.
“This observation raises significant questions and underscores the necessity for further in-depth exploration into this specific topic.”
The data came from a German research project on antibody levels in health care workers following vaccination. Researchers looked at subjects who had contracted a breakthrough infection and those who had not.
Among 629 health care workers, 241 (38 percent) had breakthrough infections.
“The frequency of breakthrough infections was 39.2 percent (195 out of 497) among female participants and 34.8 percent (46 out of 132) among male participants,” the study said.
Age was found to be a “significant factor” in breakthrough infections. Participants aged 45 and above displayed a “notably lower” incidence of breakthrough infections than younger individuals.
Researchers speculated that this trend could be explained by “varying levels of adherence and protective measures among different age groups.”
Older people tend to adhere more strictly to rules, thus “leading to potentially reduced breakthrough infections among older healthcare workers.”
Other studies have found that “the risk of the SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infection and the odds of subsequent hospitalization were greater among vaccinated patients with diabetes, chronic lung disease, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and immunocompromising conditions.”
“One explanation for a reduced breakthrough infection rate in healthcare workers with cardiovascular disease or under antihypertensive therapy might be that individuals in these groups are more vigilant in adhering to protective measures,” the study said.
This could lead to “a more thorough implementation of preventive strategies, such as consistent mask-wearing, frequent hand hygiene, and strict adherence to physical distancing guidelines, thereby reducing the likelihood of exposure to the virus and subsequent breakthrough infections.”
The study received funding from multiple entities including the German Research Foundation; the State Ministry of Baden-Wurttemberg for Economic Affairs, Labor, and Tourism, and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program.
Vaccine Hesitancy
The breakthrough infection study comes as recent research from the United States found that the share of health care personnel recommending COVID-19 shots and other vaccines to patients has “decreased substantially” over the past years.Out of the 1,207 study participants, 218 did not take the booster shot. The most common reason was concern about side effects, with 44 percent citing this. Other major reasons cited included the speed of vaccine development and approval (27 percent), low risk of infection (27 percent), and discomfort with the Emergency Use Authorization (24 percent).
In addition, trust in the CDC “decreased [from 79 to 73 percent], as did support for HCP (health care personnel) COVID-19 vaccine mandates [from 65 to 46 percent].”
“Overall, 15 percent of essential non-healthcare workers, 54 percent of general healthcare workers, and 65 percent of correctional healthcare workers reported receiving their COVID-19 vaccination,” the study said.
The main reason for not taking the COVID-19 shots was potential side effects. Many unvaccinated health care workers were not concerned about getting severely ill from COVID-19, with only 25 percent of general health care workers and 43 percent of correctional healthcare workers worried about the illness.
“Approximately one-third of general healthcare workers and essential workers believed that COVID-19 vaccines were being promoted by politicians only to win election votes even when these vaccines were not sufficiently tested for effectiveness or safety. … Some healthcare workers in our sample believe that vaccines are more harmful than COVID-19.”
The majority of correctional health care employees relied on their employers for information regarding COVID-19, including individuals who refused the shots. Researchers speculated that employer mistrust played a role in the vaccine hesitancy.
“Employer mistrust has long existed in correctional settings due to understaffing, low pay, high workload, and many other factors,” the 2022 study said.
“Such mistrust has only worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic when correctional facilities have often failed to establish adequate protocols to protect healthcare workers and other correction staff from COVID-19.”
In many states, “employees are not universally guaranteed medical benefits or paid sick leave,” the study noted.
“Employees may be reluctant to be vaccinated because they cannot take any time off work if they experience any side effects. These poor occupational health standards potentially fuel employer mistrust in correctional facilities.”
