Research into the long-term impacts of COVID-19 symptoms and complications continues.

A recent study, published in the journal PLOS One, has reported that a quarter of the study participants had long-lasting symptoms between six and eight months following their initial infection. 

Symptoms They Looked For

The participants, residents of Zurich, Switzerland who were aged 18 or older, all had SARS-CoV-2 infections between February 27 and August 5, 2020. Of the 431 participants, 89% had symptoms during their initial infection, and 19% had been hospitalized for an average of seven days.

In addition to collecting demographic information and data about concurrent medical conditions, the research team surveyed the participants about their health 6–8 months after their initial infection, concerning:

• Level of Recovery from COVID-19
• Presence of Symptoms such as:
  • Dyspnea (Shortness of Breath) 
  • Fatigue 
  • Depression 
  • Anxiety 
  • Stress 
• Contact with the healthcare system, such as hospitalization or doctor visits, after their acute illness

How Participants Responded

The survey results revealed that:

• 26% (111) had not fully recovered between 6 and 8 months after initial infection
• 25% (96) reported some level of dyspnea
• 55% (233) reported symptoms of fatigue
• 26% (111) reported symptoms of depression
• 40% (170) reported at least one COVID-19-related visit with a general practitioner after their 4-week period of acute illness

“Our data show that long COVID affects different people in different ways,” said lead study author Milo A. Puhan, MD, a professor of epidemiology and public health at the University of Zurich and the director of the Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute. “While some individuals complained about persisting symptoms, others described symptoms of fatigue, dyspnea, and depression. We found that these outcomes appear to occur together only in [a] few participants, while the majority was affected by only one or two of these outcomes simultaneously.”

Limitations of the Study 

Since participants contracted their infections during the first wave of the pandemic, the study results may have been affected by testing and healthcare system stresses and capabilities during those early months. 

Additionally, the research team lacked baseline information concerning participants’ physical and mental health prior to their SARS-CoV-2 infections, making it impossible to separate their COVID-19 symptoms from any pre-existing illnesses. Lack of information also prevented the researchers from comparing participants’ rates of anxiety and depression to those of the general population.

Lastly, participants’ use of healthcare services may be underestimated, because specialized medical and diagnostic services were not included in data collection.

Research Goals Going Forward

According to William Schaffner, MD, professor of preventive medicine in the Department of Health Policy and professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, further research should focus on how the SARS-CoV-2 virus causes these changes and complications in the body, and how to care for COVID-19 long-haulers such that they can return to as close a level of their previous functioning as possible. 

“It is…crucial that healthcare systems plan services that can support those affected in their recovery accordingly,” Puhan said. “We hope that our study–together with studies from others–helps to estimate the scale and range of services that may be required now and after potential future waves of the pandemic.”

*Norris, J. (2021, July 19). More Than a Quarter of People with COVID-19 Not Fully Recovered After 6-8 Months. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/more-than-a-quarter-of-people-with-covid-19-not-fully-recovered-after-6-8-months 

Much about the novel coronavirus, i.e., COVID-19, is still not fully understood. As research progresses and our knowledge of the virus increases, information can change rapidly. We strive to update all of our articles as quickly as possible, but there may occasionally be some lag between scientific developments and our revisions.