This archive report was first published on 24 June 2021.
Published on June 24, 2021, a groundbreaking study by Imperial College London has shed light on the prevalence of long COVID in England. The study, which analyzed self-reported data from 508,707 adults between September 2020 and February 2021, revealed that over 2 million people may have had long COVID.
According to the study, more than a third of people who have had COVID-19 reported symptoms that lasted at least 12 weeks, with one in ten experiencing severe symptoms. The symptoms ranged from tiredness and muscle aches to shortness of breath and chest pain.
"Our findings do paint a concerning picture of the longer-term health consequences of COVID-19, which need to be accounted for in policy and planning," said Paul Elliott, director of the REACT programme at Imperial.
The study also found that older people were more likely to suffer long COVID, with a 3.5% increase in likelihood with each decade of life. Additionally, there was a higher prevalence of persistent symptoms among women, smokers, people who were overweight, lived in deprived areas or had been admitted to hospital.
However, the study noted that the prevalence of long COVID may be overestimated, as such symptoms are common and not always related to COVID-19.
Health minister Matt Hancock acknowledged the impact of long COVID, stating, "Long COVID can have a lasting and debilitating impact on the lives of those affected." He added that studies like this help build understanding of the condition and inform the development of support and treatments.
