An older woman holding hands with a sick girl lying on the sofa - iStock
An older woman holding hands with a sick girl lying on the sofa - iStock One in seven people in the US reported having had long Covid by the end of 2022, suggests a large-scale investigation of long Covid and symptom prevalence by academics at UCL and Dartmouth. Having had long Covid is associated with anxiety and low mood, as well as an increased likelihood of continued physical mobility problems and challenges with memory, concentration or understanding, according to the findings published in PLOS ONE. The risk of anxiety and low mood appeared to be lower for those who have been vaccinated, including for those who have had long Covid. Co-author Professor Alex Bryson (UCL Social Research Institute) said: "Little is known about long Covid and its impact on health and wellbeing, but there is a growing body of evidence that many people experience persistent and concerning symptoms. "Here, we have found that long Covid continues to affect millions of people in the US, with some groups much more affected than others. Those who have ever had long Covid remain more likely to report low mood, challenges in carrying out daily tasks, and challenges with memory, concentration and understanding, compared to people who have never had long Covid." The researchers reviewed data from 461,550 people who responded to the US Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey from June to December 2022. They were comparing people who said they had never had Covid-19, with those who had had a Covid-19 infection without lingering symptoms, and those who currently or previously had long Covid.
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