Long COVID and New Onset Disability Nearly 2 Years After Initial Infection

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Infectious Disease Research

Background:

• Long COVID symptoms and associated disability pose a significant public health challenge.
• Understanding the long-term impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial for effective healthcare strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of ongoing long COVID symptoms.
• To assess the extent of related disability in a population-based cohort nearly two years post-infection.

Main Methods:

• A population-based survey of adults in Michigan with COVID-19 onset between March-December 2020.
• Assessed six domains of age-standardized disability (mobility, cognition, independent living, vision, hearing, self-care) based on ongoing long COVID status.
• Utilized baseline and follow-up data collected between June 2020-October 2021 and January-November 2022, respectively.

Main Results:

• 24.0% of 1,547 respondents reported ongoing long COVID symptoms nearly two years after initial infection.
• Individuals with long COVID showed substantial increases in disability prevalence across cognition, mobility, independent living, and self-care domains.
• Ongoing long COVID was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of all six assessed disability domains.

Conclusions:

• The long-term burden of long COVID and its associated disability is substantial.
• Findings underscore the need for increased attention from public health and medical communities.
• Further research and interventions are warranted to address the persistent effects of long COVID.