Researchers<\/a> analyzed health records from more than 1 million veterans who received flu<\/a> shots between September and December 2024.<\/p>\n Roughly one-third of the veterans also received a COVID-19 vaccine on the same day, allowing scientists to compare outcomes between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups.<\/p>\n The results were striking.<\/p>\n Stock image: Row of Coronavirus vaccine flasks.<\/p>\n The researchers found a nearly 38% reduction in COVID-related cardiac events among the veterans\u2014most notably among patients who were 75 or older, or who had other chronic conditions.<\/p>\n Interestingly, the study<\/a> showed that the vaccine had a secondary effect: It decreased all-cause cardiac events by 24%.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile the reduction in COVID-19\u2013associated [major adverse cardiovascular events] was modest, the substantially larger reduction in all-cause MACE suggests that the vaccine\u2019s protective association extends to the hidden burden of undetected SARS-CoV-2 and its sequelae,\u201d the researchers wrote in the study.<\/p>\n Lasting Effects<\/p>\n COVID-19 affects the body in a wide variety of ways, and the virus is still strong in 2026, long after many Americans have relaxed their precautionary actions<\/a>.<\/p>\n A new, heavily mutated version of the virus was detected in 25 states as recently as March<\/a>.<\/p>\n Long COVID has been shown to leave lasting effects<\/a> that hang on far beyond the usual effects of a virus, sometimes ranging from a few months to several years.<\/p>\n The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that<\/a> fatigue, difficulty breathing and even trouble with memory<\/a> and thinking (a symptom often known as brain fog) are hallmarks of long COVID, which can result in disability<\/a> in some individuals.<\/p>\n The Effects of Inflammation<\/p>\n Damage to the heart is another concerning and well-documented side effect of COVID<\/a>.<\/p>\n To fight off COVID, the body often experiences inflammation as the immune system<\/a> is activated to battle the disease, but for some people, the immune system is overly active.<\/p>\n Excessive inflammation can hurt the heart in a variety of ways, causing the heart to lose its regular rhythm, creating blood clots and even causing life-threatening heart failure.<\/p>\n The COVID vaccine protected many adults against these effects, according to the researchers.<\/p>\n![\"COVID\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/c9d6c75f4188a4a8588bd7f8f0f1e684.jpeg\"\/)
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