"Long COVID" symptoms affect 1 in 4 seniors after infection, study finds

Key Facts

The study — published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report — is the latest to try and quantify how many of the millions of Americans who have now tested positive for the virus are facing long-term issues caused by their infection.
By comparing electronic health records in a large national database of patients, the study's authors found 38.2% of COVID-19 survivors "experienced at least one incident condition" — a list that includes heart, lung, kidney and gastrointestinal problems, pain, fatigue, loss of smell or taste, mental health issues, and more — in the months after their infection.
Based on surveys of antibodies, the CDC estimates that the share of Americans who have survived the virus rose to nearly 60% over the winter, up from a third in December.
However, the guidance notes that more research – including both from the CDC and elsewhere at the National Institutes of Health – still needs to be done into how to treat these post-COVID patients.