Jennifer Mendoza
Research expert covering health, pharma and medtech
Long COVID in the U.S. - Statistics & Facts
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, the virus continues to circulate around the world, and it is estimated that between 10 and 20 percent of people infected will develop longer term symptoms that may be diagnosed as Long COVID. Long COVID describes the long-term effects and symptoms that some people infected with COVID-19 experience after their initial infection. Long COVID is referred to by many different names, including Post-COVID Conditions, long-haul COVID, chronic COVID, and post-acute COVID-19, and definitions for what constitutes Long COVID vary by country and institution. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define Long COVID as signs, symptoms, and conditions present for at least three months after COVID-19 infection, with these symptoms sometimes being multisystemic and relapsing with a possibility for severe and life-threatening events months or years after infection. It is still unclear why some people develop Long COVID, but it is thought that people who experienced a more severe COVID-19 illness, people with an underlying health condition before infection, and those who did not get a COVID-19 vaccine are more likely to suffer from Long COVID. Symptoms of Long COVID may last weeks, months, or even years and may include, but are not limited to, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, loss of smell, shortness of breath, and headache.
