How Long Does Long COVID Last? The answer is not simple. For most people, the symptoms of post-COVID, such as fatigue, cognitive impairment and pain, last at least a few months. Others, however, experience them for much longer.
A study published in The BMJmay narrow the window. Researchers found that most Long COVID-related symptoms improved within a year.
This is not true for everyone. According to a report by the U.K. Office for National Statistics, 30% of people who reported Long COVID symptoms in December 2022 had been sick for two years or more. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that long-term COVID complications may last for years.
The new BMJstudy, which was based on the medical records of a major Israeli healthcare system, provides promising signs that Long COVID symptoms will clear with time.
Researchers tracked nearly 300,000 adults and children who were mildly infected with COVID-19 between March 2020 and October 2021. Some were vaccinated and others were not.
In the first six month after becoming sick, COVID-19-positive people were at an increased risk for a number of symptoms. These included loss of taste, memory and concentration problems, coughing, respiratory disorders and weakness. However, a year after the infection, the risk of many symptoms was not significantly different between those with COVID-19 and those who did not test positive.
But there were exceptions. The study found that even after a full year, those who were COVID-19 positive were more likely to experience symptoms such as weakness, smell and taste problems, memory and concentration issues, palpitations and breathing difficulties. Despite this, the difference in risk between COVID+ and COVID groups for these symptoms was not as significant as it had been during the first six-month period of follow-up.
In general, the severity of Long COVID symptoms did not differ significantly based on whether a person was vaccinated at the time they became sick or not. However, those who had been vaccinated were more likely to experience prolonged breathing difficulties.
The research had some limitations. Only people who tested positive before October 2021 were included in the study. It’s not clear how these findings will translate into the modern day. Medical records may not accurately reflect someone’s daily health.
Although it is encouraging that some symptoms improved during the study, several months of COVID symptoms could be very disruptive to someone’s daily life. Because the only way to avoid the symptoms of this virus is to not get infected, tools such as masks, vaccinations, and ventilation, will continue to be important tools in public health for as long the virus continues its spread.
