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1 in 4 COVID patients developed long-haul symptoms, study reveals

By
Adriana Diaz
Published Feb. 7, 2024, 12:05 p.m. ET

About one in four coronavirus patients developed long COVID, acc💖ording to a new🌳 study.

While most people who test positive for COVID-19 are over their symptoms within a week or two, more research is showing that some people continue to report symptoms — and🐓 even develop new ones — three months after their initial positive test, lasting for months or even years.

A new study analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey to finꦰd the rates of American adults dev🅘eloping long COVID.

The research showed that 2ꩲ4.4% of American adults who received a positive COVID-19 test have experienced symptoms that persisꦉted for three months or longer.

Twenty-seven states reported rates higher than the national average. In Okl🃏ahoma, 34.1% of those who had COVID-19 reported having long COVID symptoms💃, the largest percentage for any state.

Those in Vermont and Washington, ওD.C., reported the lo🐼west rates with just 16.5% developing long COVID.

woman getting tested for COVID
About one in four American adults who tested positive for the coronavirus developed long COVID and 30% said it caused them to struggle with daily activities, a new study found. Getty Images

New York state was jus💖t below the national average with 21𓄧.6%, and New York City fell even lower with 20.6% reporting long-lasting symptoms.

Of those with long COVID, 31% of Americans said that the symptoms have reduced their ability to carry out daily activit𝐆ies.

However, 28 states reported higher ꦬrates of strugg🐬ling to keep up with daily activities. In Hawaii, 50.8% of adults with long COVID reported that it impacted their daily lives.

Long COVID occurs when people continue to report symptoms that last for months or even years. Above, protestors gather during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing to examine long COVID on Capitol Hill in Washington last month. 
Long COVID occurs when people continue to report symptoms that last for months or even years. Above, protestors gather during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing to examine long COVID on Capitol Hill in Washington last month.  AP

While some may experience long COVID as a lingering cough or consistent fatigue, others have reported symptoms so severe that they’ve been hospitalized for long periods.

One woman has even requested assisted suicide as she claims her grueling bout with long COVID has robbed her of her life savings, the ability to get out of bed and the simple joys of🦩 living.

Previous research has found that long COVID was more common and severe in patients who were infe💝cted before the 2021 Omicron variant, unvaccinated or reinfected, and listed the defining symptoms as:

  • post-exertional malaise (debilitating fatigue that gets worse after physical or mental activity)
  • fatigue
  • brain fog
  • dizziness
  • gastrointestinal symptoms
  • heart palpitations
  • issues with sexual desire or capacity
  • loss of smell or taste
  • thirst
  • chronic cough
  • chest pain
  • abnormal movements

However, experts continue to call for more research to be done to better understand 𓂃the impacts of the virus.

“Ame🔜ricans living with long COVID want to understand what is happening with their bodies,” said Dr. Rachel L.😼 Levine, the U.S. assistant secretary for health.