NEW YORK — Some people who have had COVID-19 may experience long-term effects from the infection, known as post-COVID-19 illness (PCC) or persistent COVID-19 illness. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
People call conditions after COVID-19 by various names, such as persistent COVID-19, long-standing COVID-19, post-acute COVID-19, post-acute sequelae of SARS CoV-2 infection, (PASC, for its acronym in English), long-term effects of COVID-19 or chronic COVID-19.
Post-COVID-19 conditions can include a wide variety of chronic health problems, lasting weeks, months or longer. The CDC notes that these are more common in people who have become very ill with COVID-19, but anyone infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can have post-COVID-19 conditions, including people who have had a mild case. of the disease or had no symptoms of the disease.
People who are unvaccinated and become infected may also be at greater risk of post-COVID-19 conditions than people who become infected during vaccination. Although most people with post-COVID-19 disease have evidence that they have been infected with the virus or have gotten sick with COVID-19, in some cases, a person with post-COVID-19 disease may not screen positive or not even knowing it you’ve been infected.
How has the prolonged COVID-19 affected the United States?
According to a survey released in June by the CDCmore more than 40% of adults in the United States report having had COVID-19 in the past, and nearly one in five of them (19%) still has the symptoms of “long COVID”. The data was collected June 1-13 by the US Census Bureau and analyzed by the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).
Of these, nearly 9% of Hispanic adults currently have long-term COVID-19, higher than non-Hispanic white (7.5%) and black (6.8%) adults, and more than double the percentage of Asian adults non-Hispanic (3.7%). Additionally, women are more likely than men to currently have prolonged COVID-19 (9.4% vs. 5.5%).
Overall, 1 in 13 U.S. adults (7.5%) have symptoms of “long-term COVID,” defined as symptoms that last three months or more after they first contracted the virus and didn’t have before. COVID infection.
The Household Pulse Survey is an ongoing partnership between the Census Bureau, the CDC and other federal agencies. NCHS recently added survey questions to assess the prevalence of post-COVID-19 conditions, sometimes called “prolonged COVID.”
CDC and its partners are investigating to learn more about who has illnesses after COVID-19 and why, including whether groups disproportionately affected by COVID-19 are at higher risk.
SYMPTOMS AND HOW TO PREVENT IT
Symptoms according to the CDC
People with post-COVID-19 conditions can have a variety of symptoms that can last for more than four weeks or even months after infection. Sometimes the symptoms may go away or come back.
Conditions after COVID-19 may not affect everyone equally. People with post-COVID-19 conditions can experience health problems with different types and combinations of symptoms during different time periods. Most patients’ symptoms gradually improve over time. However, for some people, post-COVID-19 conditions can last weeks, months or longer after contracting COVID-19 and can sometimes cause disability.
People with post-COVID-19 conditions often report the following:
general symptoms
- Tiredness or fatigue that interferes with daily life.
- Symptoms that are aggravated by physical or mental exertion (also known as “post-exertional malaise”).
- Fever.
Respiratory and cardiac symptoms
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath.
- Tos.
- Chest pain.
- Heart beating fast or very hard (known as palpitations).
neurological symptoms
- Trouble thinking or concentrating (sometimes called “brain fog”).
- Headache.
- Sleep problems.
- Dizziness (fainting) when standing up.
- Tingling sensation.
- Changes in taste or smell.
- Depression or anxiety.
digestive symptoms
other symptoms
- Muscle or joint pains.
- Rash.
- Changes in menstrual cycles.
Symptoms difficult to explain and manage
People with post-COVID conditions may develop or continue to have symptoms that are difficult to explain and manage. Clinical evaluations and the results of routine blood tests, chest x-rays, and electrocardiograms may be normal. Symptoms are similar to those reported by people with ME/CFS (myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome) and other poorly understood chronic diseases that can occur after other infections. People with these unexplained symptoms can be misunderstood by their healthcare providers, which can take a long time to get diagnosed and receive proper treatment or care.
Prevent persistent disease from COVID-19
The best way to prevent illness after COVID-19 is to protect yourself and others from getting infected. For those who are eligible, get vaccinated yes be up to date with vaccinations against COVID-19 can help prevent COVID-19 infection and avoid becoming seriously ill.
Research suggests that people who are vaccinated but become infected with the virus (vaccine infection) are less likely to report post-COVID-19 illness than people who are not vaccinated.
What to do if I have persistent COVID-19 conditions
However, people with post-COVID-19 conditions can consult a healthcare professional for a personal health management plan to help improve symptoms and quality of life. check out these tips to prepare for an appointment with a healthcare professional for post-COVID-19 conditions. Additionally, there are many organized support groups that can help patients and their carers.
Although post-COVID-19 conditions appear to be less common in children and adolescents than in adults, long-term post-COVID-19 effects may occur in children and adolescents.
talk to your doctor if you think you or your child have persistent COVID-19 conditions or a post-COVID-19 condition.
