In a study from Yale University, scientists found long-lasting symptoms are common 3 months after testing for COVID-19.
They compared new and ongoing symptoms and outcomes in both COVID-positive and COVID-negative adults who were tested because of acute COVID-19-like symptoms.
The team found that half of the patients with COVID-19 and one-quarter of those who tested negative had at least one symptom at three months follow-ups.
The CDC defines symptoms of COVID-19 persisting beyond four weeks as “long COVID.” Due to its extensive range of symptoms, the post-viral syndrome is challenging to research and is poorly understood.
In the study, the team tested people from eight sites around the country, including Yale New Haven Health, RUSH University Medical Center, and the University of Washington.
They enrolled any participant who was experiencing symptoms at the time of taking the test. Those who tested negative were used as the control group.
Every three months, for 18 months, the team sent participants surveys that evaluated the range of symptoms they may be experiencing.
At the three-month mark, they found that persistent or newly emergent symptoms were common.
Nearly half of those in the COVID-19 positive group were experiencing at least one symptom, as well as about a quarter of those in the COVID-19 negative group.
Interestingly, fatigue symptoms—level of exhaustion post-physical or mental exertion, quality of sleep, or generalized muscle aches and pains—were similar across both groups. One in six people across both groups experienced severe fatigue.
The team says this is a clue that there are a lot of other people struggling.
Chronic fatigue is common after other infectious diseases, too. There are many different stressors that may be resulting in these systemic symptoms.
The publication will be one of many on long COVID and its impact.
These are important data that may inform policy, including absenteeism and family medical leave and disability, as well as research into mechanisms and treatment.
If you care about COVID, please read studies about new symptoms of long COVID, and scientists find a key driver of autoimmune diseases.
For more information about COVID, please see recent studies about new evidence on rare blood clots after COVID-19 vaccination, and results showing zinc could help reduce COVID-19 infection risk.
The study was conducted by Erica Spatz et al and published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
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