Objectives: To determine the number of training days lost due to COVID-19 and vaccination against COVID-19 in elite athletes. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: The questionnaire on the impact of vaccination and COVID-19 on training plans was filled out by 1073 elite Polish athletes who underwent routine medical screening between September and December 2021. Results: COVID-19 was diagnosed in 421 subjects (39%), of whom 26% were asymptomatic. On the 10-point scale, <1% of athletes had perceived severity of the disease above 8, whereas for 64% it was 4 or below. Vaccination against COVID-19 was administered in 820 athletes (76?%), and adverse events were observed more frequently after the first dose than the second (69% vs. 47%). Influence on training (modified or lost) was declared by 369 of 421 (88%) COVID-19 athletes, and by 226 of 820 vaccinated athletes (28%). During the observation period, the average number of lost training days was 8.1 for COVID-19 and 2.6 for vaccination (p<0.001). The cumulative number of person-days lost due to COVID-19 was 1041 versus 295 after vaccination thus, the average loss ratio was 1041/1073=0.97 vs. 295/820=0.36, respectively, p<0.01. Conclusions: Athletes have a considerable loss of training days due to COVID-19. Vaccination against COVID-19 causes significantly smaller and predictable loss. This supports the inclusion of vaccination into prevention policies for athletes whenever they are available.
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