First research definition for long Covid in children and young people

An older woman holding hands with a sick girl lying on the sofa - The first research definition of what is meant by 'long Covid' in children and young people has been formally agreed in a new study led by UCL researchers. The definition closely complements that proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) for long Covid in adults. If widely adopted, it will substantially help strengthen the evidence base on this debilitating condition, say the researchers. The slew of definitions currently used, all of which differ in number, type, and duration of symptoms, has contributed to the very wide reported variations in the estimated prevalence of long Covid in children of 1% to 51%. This has hampered research efforts to date. A consistently applied definition of long Covid will enable researchers to reliably compare and evaluate studies on prevalence, disease course, and outcomes, providing a more accurate picture on the true impact of the condition, explain the researchers. In the study, led by Professor Sir Terence Stephenson (UCL Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health), also an Honorary Paediatric Consultant at GOSH, and Professor Roz Shafran (UCL Great Ormond Street Institute for Child Health), c'onsensus was reached among a representative panel of 120 international experts skilled in healthcare delivery (47), research (50), and lived experience (23), after careful scrutiny of 49 statements each of which was scored from 1-9, depending on their perceived importance.