That’s how common long COVID is, according to new research

A new set of statistics shows how common it is for people to develop long-term COVID, a condition that is of growing concern. Long COVID refers to a group of symptoms that last months after initial infection and can affect major organs such as the heart, lungs, and kidneys. Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, brain fog, blood clots, and more.

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently conducted a study in which the subjects were divided into two groups: those under the age of 65 and those older. In the former, 1 in 5 COVID survivors was found to develop long-term COVID symptoms. For the latter group, the results were even higher, with 1 in 4 survivors experiencing symptoms.

The study analyzed the electronic records of 2 million people and compared those who were infected with those who were not. The results showed that participants in both groups were twice as likely to develop respiratory illnesses and lung problems as uninfected individuals. The analysis also found that the most common post-COVID illnesses people developed were respiratory diseases and musculoskeletal pain.

Photo by CDC via Unsplash

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When comparing the two groups themselves, the researchers found that the older group was at higher risk. They were also at higher risk of developing kidney failure, neurological disorders, and mental illness.

“It is sobering to see that the results of this study again confirm the breadth of organ dysfunction and the magnitude of the problem,” said Dr. Ziyad Al-Aly, director of research and development for the VA St. Louis Health Care System The New York Times. He said thousands of people could develop long-term illnesses as a result of COVID that would affect them for the rest of their lives, such as diabetes, heart disease, neurological problems and more.

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New research is helping us understand the long COVID that can occur post-vaccination, especially when patients are elderly.