In a new study, researchers found that even among persons with milder outpatient illness, COVID-19 can result in a prolonged illness.
The research was conducted by scientists from the CDC COVID-19 Response Team.
In the study, the team did telephone interviews with a random sample of adults aged ≥18 years with a first positive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 at an outpatient visit at one of 14 academic health care systems in 13 states.
The researchers found that at the time of testing, 94% of the 292 respondents reported experiencing one or more symptoms.
By the date of the interview (median, 16 days from testing date), 35% of symptomatic respondents reported not having returned to their usual state of health, including 26%, 32%, and 47% among those aged 18 to 34 years, 35 to 49 years, and ≥50 years, respectively.
At the time of the interview, 43%, 35%, and 29% of the respondents who reported cough, fatigue, and shortness of breath, respectively, at the time of testing continued to experience these symptoms.
The team says public health messaging should target populations that might not perceive COVID-19 illness as being severe or prolonged, including young adults and those without chronic underlying medical conditions.
One author of the study is Mark W. Tenforde, M.D., Ph.D.
The study is published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Copyright © 2020 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
