Qigong, obesity, and immunity dynamics and its application to long COVID-19 syndrome

COVID-19, an acute respiratory condition resulting in high rates of excess mortality, particularly among adults in later life remains challenging to prevent uniformly and is now found to induce a series of long term adverse health impacts termed ‘long COVID’ syndrome. But can more be done to avert the risk of COVID-19 and its observed long term impact in older adults? This mini review strove to examine, summarize and synthesize the research base concerning the key risk factors underpinning later life acquisition of COVID-19 and whether an ancient mind body technique known as Qigong may be one possible largely overlooked strategy for promoting immunity and minimizing the related health correlate of obesity that can both raise the risk for severe COVID-19 infections and delay its recovery among older adult survivors. A second was to provide related intervention directives for health professionals working or who are likely to work with this vulnerable population in the future. Using the PUBMED and other leading electronic data bases and the key words: Qigong, Immunity, COVID-19, Long COVID-19, Obesity, Older Adults, a fair number of articles indicate that the practice of Qigong may be very useful as an adjunctive intervention strategy for raising immunity levels and fostering weight control among older adults, especially those survivors suffering from long COVID syndrome who remain at risk for second infections.