COVID-19

Given how many in our community developed POTS after COVID-19 infections or COVID-19 vaccination, we have a responsibility to share as much helpful and supportive information here as we possibly can. To learn more click here to access our expanded COVID-19 section that includes relevant research and findings.

Isn’t COVID-19 Just Like A Cold?

  • Unfortunately, no, COVID-19 infections do not have the same impact as the common cold viruses for many in our community. Although symptoms may be mild for some during the initial infection, there is a great potential for individuals in our community to have their underlying conditions worsened by COVID-19. This includes POTS and other common co-occurring conditions like EDS, MCAS, and ME/CFS.

Can People Develop POTS After COVID-19 Infections?

  • Many in our community developed POTS after COVID-19 infections, as a part of the long COVID umbrella, and it can be an isolating and difficult journey at times that we want to speak to and recognize. Viral infections even before the COVID-19 pandemic have been known to cause approximately 50% of cases of POTS, and there are a few theories and hypotheses specific to proposed mechanisms. To learn more, please see our What Causes POTS section and COVID-19 Infections section.

Do We Need To Reduce COVID-19 Exposure?

  • Although we can’t give any specific recommendations, we do feel that individuals living with POTS and other chronic conditions should consider taking additional precautions, and their friends and family members as well. We also believe that everyone, regardless of their current health status, should do their best to avoid becoming infected given the known and unknown risks associated with exposure, one infection, and multiple infections.

How Can We Reduce COVID-19 Exposure?

  • Although we can’t give any specific recommendations, we can share what has helped some reduce their risk of exposure. Despite taking precautions, there are no guarantees that reduce the risk to 0, but the goal is that we can reduce the risk of infection as much as we reasonably can. Some on our team and community have found that consistent masking with high quality masks helps, specifically n95s. Additional precautions may include avoiding crowded events, limiting gathering sizes, increasing air purification and circulation through opening windows and/or having air purifiers in the space (if possible), having more outdoor gatherings (though do note that COVID-19 can still spread outdoors), and quarantining from individuals who are sick. If you are looking for a few different n95 or purifier options, see our Helpful Items page.

Can You Develop POTS After COVID-19 Vaccination?

  • Unfortunately, we do have individuals in our community who developed POTS after a reaction to one dose, two doses, or booster doses of the mRNA vaccines. Although we do view them as very important public health tools that have been effective in reducing COVID-19 morbidity and mortality, we also must recognize that like with anything foreign we introduce into our bodies, there can be risks. Making blanket statements that vaccines are always safe is not accurate, as other vaccines have been shown to trigger POTS in some, specifically the HPV vaccines (Tomljenovic et al., 2014). Although the exact underlying mechanism is still unclear, researchers believe there may be an autoimmune component for some (Reddy et al., 2021). It is important to note that despite this known link, many in our community are still able to receive vaccinations safely, though they may experience some temporary flare-ups in their underlying conditions. We suggest working with your loved one’s team to develop safe protocols that can be followed, if receiving future vaccine doses to proactively prepare for potential flare-ups, and to discuss what vaccines they feel are safe for your loved one to receive. Although vaccinations are known triggers, viral infections are as well; therefore, it is important for their medical team to assess the risks and benefits associated with each decision, and discuss those openly with you and your loved one (Teodorescu et al., 2024). To learn more about what can cause POTS, please see our What Causes POTS section.

Sources:

Reddy, S., Reddy, S., & Arora, M. (2021). A case of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome secondary to the messenger RNA COVID-19 vaccine. Cureus. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.14837

Teodorescu, D. L., Kote, A., Reaso, J. N., Rosenberg, C., Liu, X., Kwan, A. C., Cheng, S., & Chen, P.-S. (2024). Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome after COVID-19 vaccination. Heart Rhythm, 21(1), 74–81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2023.09.012

Tomljenovic, L., Colafrancesco, S., Perricone, C., & Shoenfeld, Y. (2014). Postural orthostatic tachycardia with chronic fatigue after HPV vaccination as part of the “autoimmune/auto-inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants.” Journal of Investigative Medicine High Impact Case Reports, 2(1), 232470961452781. https://doi.org/10.1177/2324709614527812