Nearly 1 in 4 American Adults Who Get COVID-19 Suffer From Long COVID

Analysis of the latest U.S. Census Bureau data finds 24% of U.S. adults affected by the disease have experienced COVID-19 symptoms for three months or longer. Learn which state and major metro area populations are experiencing the highest rates of long COVID.

It's fine, just keep infecting each other and it will work itself out. Haven't you sacrificed enough? It's treat time!

The data used for this report came from the U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey, specifically Week 63 (Nov 8, 2023), the most recent data available.

There are some signs that long covid is becoming rarer, but the most optimistic estimates I've seen are a 3.9% chance of long covid per infection, after vaccination. In mid-2023 the WHO said it's a 1 in 10 chance.

If you are lucky it's just a persistant cough for a few months. If you aren't, you get disabled for life.

spoiler

24.4% of Americans ages 18 and over who have received a positive COVID-19 test or diagnosis have experienced symptoms of COVID-19 that persisted for three months or longer.

34% of adults in Oklahoma who had COVID-19 have experienced long COVID, the highest rate of any state population in the U.S.

Long COVID has affected two out of every five adults afflicted by COVID-19 in Los Angeles and Atlanta.

31% of those affected by long COVID report that the symptoms have reduced their ability to carry out daily activities.

A 2022 study from Brookings found that long COVID could be responsible for keeping as many as four million people out of work, or roughly 15% of the labor shortage.

The total economic cost of long COVID has been estimated to be as high as $3.7 trillion, or 17% of the 2019 U.S. gross domestic product (GDP).

It’s not yet known what causes long COVID, but researchers do have some clues. Potential causes include:

Reactivation of SARS-CoV-2 particles Overactive immune cells releasing a high level of inflammatory substances that can damage organs and tissues Production of autoantibodies that attack the body in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection

Symptoms of long COVID, also called Post-COVID Conditions (PCC), can include:

Fatigue Fever “Brain fog” Shortness of breath Cough Chest pain Heart palpitations Headaches and dizziness Changes in smell or taste Stomach pain and diarrhea Joint and muscle pain

Those who suffer from long COVID are often referred to as “long haulers,” and according to the CDC, studies have shown certain groups of people may be at an increased risk:

People who have experienced a more severe case of COVID-19 Those who had underlying conditions prior to infection Those who did not receive a COVID-19 vaccine

Studies have found depleted serotonin levels in long COVID patients, which may be a cause of the “brain fog,” or neurocognitive difficulties that many people with long COVID report. Other studies have pointed to a link between COVID-19 infections and accelerated brain deterioration among those with dementia.

This is another study showing covid is harming an enormous amount of people, and I'm sure it will be met with same "nah, that can't be right, because I don't personally know anybody suffering" or "omicron is mild now" shit we get from neoliberal thought leaders.