How common is “Long Covid”? New studies suggest more than previously thought

Once upon a time, it seemed like once you recovered from Covid-19, you were home free – suffering from the disease could be terrible, but surviving it meant you were done. Now we know this is not the case, as it has become clear that an increasing number of Covid-19 survivors are experiencing long-term effects – known as “long Covid” (officially the post-sequelae). (acute SARS-CoV-2 or PASC) – even after the virus is apparently out of their body. Plus, these ‘long haul’ are not a small group: Studies show that, given the large number of people who have survived Covid-19 around the world, it could actually number in the millions.

A survey conducted earlier this month by Britain’s Office for National Statistics interviewed more than 20,000 participants who had tested positive for Covid-19 in the past year and found that one survivor in five reported having symptoms after five weeks – and at 12 weeks, the number was still 13.7% (almost one in seven). The most common symptoms experienced at five weeks were fatigue (11.8%), cough (11%), headache (10%) and muscle pain (7.7%). (Loss of taste and smell followed, each affecting about 6.3% of participants.) At 12 weeks, the prevalence of symptoms was slightly lower, but still similarly distributed and much higher than a group. witness who had not had Covid-19.

In terms of the big picture, when the authors extrapolated the figures to the whole of the UK, they suggest that more than a million residents may have experienced a long period of Covid by early March 2021.

Studies have also shown the striking range of acute effects that the coronavirus can have on the body and its organ systems, from the cardiovascular and pulmonary to neuropsychological and kidneys. The fact that Covid-19 is now considered a multi-organ disease may result in a broader spectrum of long Covid symptoms than previously understood.

In fact, a new study by researchers from hospitals around the country found that the long symptoms of Covid included fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, loss of smell or taste, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, headaches / migraine, and non-restful sleep. The authors offer guidelines on how to treat patients with long Covid and recommend a multidisciplinary approach to support both the physical and mental health of those living with long Covid.

“Covid-19 is the first infectious disease I have encountered that has such an effect on a wide variety of organs. It has changed my clinical practice,” said Elaine Y. Wan of Columbia University in a communicated. the patient is coming for, I now ask if he has ever had Covid-19. This changes the range of possible diagnoses. ”

While it appears that people with more severe Covid-19, especially those who have been hospitalized, are at higher risk of long-term Covid (a study from Wuhan found that after six months, three-quarters of these patients still had at least one symptom), this does not mean that people with mild illness have dropped out. A study carried out last week by the Karolinska Institute reported that among a group of healthcare workers who had had mild Covid-19, 10% still had at least one symptom severe enough to impact their work, their home or their social life. eight months later (the most common symptoms were loss of smell and taste, fatigue, and breathing problems). While the study was quite small and the results should be interpreted with some caution, other studies have also suggested that even mild initial illness can lead to long-term effects.

It’s not entirely clear what causes a long Covid, or any post-viral syndrome, for that matter, including chronic fatigue syndrome / myalgic encephalomyelitis. It could be that remnants of the virus remain in the body, or the symptoms may be due to damage from the body’s own immune response – and / or the fact that repairing the various levels of injury caused by the body may take a toll. time. acute phase of the disease. There is an early suggestion that the Covid-19 vaccine reduces symptoms in long haul, most in the form of anecdotal evidence and surveys, not yet in peer-reviewed studies. An ongoing study has found that after vaccination, long-lasting symptoms of Covid resolved in more than 20% of participants, and some suggest it could be even higher.

Fortunately, more research is underway that will hopefully provide a better understanding of the prevalence of Covid in the long term, whether it improves over time, and what treatments can help alleviate it. And I hope that patients will be taken seriously and treated with sensitivity by the medical community, and that the large number of people suffering from Covid for a long time will spark more resources and research to understand it.