Long COVID

Long COVID in United States

United States

After an individual has been infected with COVID-19, it is possible for them to experience long-term effects from the infection. Post-COVID conditions, also referred to as long COVID, cover a wide range of symptoms including fatigue, fever, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, heart palpitations, headaches, difficulty concentrating (brain fog), sleep problems, changes in taste and/or smell, depression or anxiety, diarrhea, stomach pain, and joint or muscle pain. These symptoms may start with an initial COVID-19 infection or appear at a later time. Even people who did not experience any symptoms from a COVID-19 infection can develop long COVID.

The prevalence of long COVID is higher among: 

• People who needed to be hospitalized for a COVID-19 infection.
• People with underlying health conditions prior to COVID-19 infection.
• People who have not received a COVID-19 vaccine.
• Females compared with males.
• Older adults ages 50-59 compared with those 80 and older.
• Hispanic adults compared with non-Hispanic white, Black and Asian adults.

Vaccination may reduce the risk of developing long COVID. Vaccine clinics and online vaccine connectors have helped distribute more than 834 million vaccine doses in the U.S. as of September 14, 2022. People and organizations across many different areas are working together to increase the number of COVID-19 vaccinations in the U.S. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 Public Education Campaign is a national program that works to increase public awareness and confidence in COVID-19 vaccines. The effort is driven by communication science and provides tailored information for different audiences, which includes details on COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 6 months and up. The COVID-19 Community Corps outreach program launched in April 2021 and now has over 17,000 members across the country helping to promote the vaccine in their communities. 

Research about long COVID is still new and ongoing. Individuals who have gotten COVID can help advance the research by signing up to participate in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) RECOVER Initiative. 

Sylvester, Shirley V., Rada Rusu, Biankha Chan, Martha Bellows, Carly O’Keefe, and Susan Nicholson. “Sex Differences in Sequelae from COVID-19 Infection and in Long COVID Syndrome: A Review.” Current Medical Research and Opinion 38, no. 8 (August 3, 2022): 1391–99. https://doi.org/10.1080/03007995.2022.2081454.