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Do I Have Long COVID?

Long COVID is not rare. Around 5-7% of American adults say they have Long COVID.

If we assume the same is roughly true in other countries, then hundreds of millions of people are living with Long COVID worldwide. But in reality, those numbers could be a vast undercount–at least 1 billion people may live with Long COVID today.

 

10-35% of people infected with COVID develop Long COVID

Studies examining people who contracted COVID-19 consistently show higher rates of Long COVID than surveys suggest. Most research indicates that around 10-35% of people infected with COVID-19 develop Long COVID. For example, a recent study looked at thousands of Americans who were infected with COVID-19 and found that 27% of them developed Long COVID. Other studies suggest that the number could be much higher. A study in France found that 40% of patients with a mild COVID-19 infection had Long COVID 9 months later. 

Children may not develop Long COVID as often as adults, but they, too, are at risk. Last year, a study from the US found that 20% of young children and 14% of teenagers had Long COVID.

By the fall of 2022, more than 70% of Americans had been infected with COVID-19, according to an analysis of blood samples. That was more than two years ago, and the percentage is likely much higher today, but if we assume that 70% of the population has been infected with COVID-19, and 20% of those people developed Long COVID, then 1.1 billion people have Long COVID worldwide.

Of course, some of those people may have recovered from Long COVID, but recovery can be elusive. The study that found that 27% of Americans developed Long COVID also found that just 2% had fully recovered 3 years later. And even when people do recover, their symptoms often return, especially if they are reinfected.

Many people don't recognize their Long COVID symptoms

Several factors may explain why self-reported survey rates are lower than research findings:

Lack of awareness

Many people don’t recognize that their health problems are actually Long COVID symptoms. While some Long COVID symptoms, such as loss of smell and fatigue are well-known, people are often surprised to find out just how wide-ranging and varied symptoms can be. Some of the lesser-known Long COVID symptoms include:

  • Brain Fog and Memory Problems: Struggling to remember things, grasping for the right word, and feeling like the mind is in a fog are common.
  • Alcohol Intolerance: Many people with Long COVID discover that they can no longer tolerate some or all alcoholic drinks when they could previously drink alcohol without any problems.
  • Hormonal Issues: People with Long COVID often have low levels of various hormones, including testosterone. 
  • Erectile Dysfunction: Some people with Long COVID develop erectile dysfunction.
  • New Onset Allergies: People with Long COVID often develop new allergies that they didn’t have before.
  • Shortness of Breath: People with Long COVID often feel short of breath, even when resting.
  • Insomnia: People with Long COVID often experience issues with their sleep, with insomnia being especially common.
  • Ringing in the Ears: It’s common for people with Long COVID to experience tinnitus, or ringing in the ears.
  • Problems with Vision: Some people with Long COVID experience new-onset eye problems; some even go blind.
  • Dizziness upon Standing: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is common among people with Long COVID. Symptoms of POTS include a racing heart rate and feelings of dizziness when standing.
  • Getting Sick Frequently: Getting infected with COVID-19 can weaken a person’s immune system for months, making them more susceptible to other illnesses.
  • Pain: People with Long COVID often experience pain in different parts of their bodies.
  • Rashes: Skin problems are a common part of Long COVID. Some people with Long COVID develop hives and rashes.
  • Depression: Many people with Long COVID develop psychological problems, including anxiety and depression.

Over 200 different symptoms are associated with Long COVID, and different people present with different combinations of these symptoms.

Other reasons for underreporting:

  • Delayed onset: Often, Long COVID symptoms start during the acute infection or immediately afterward, but sometimes, symptoms can develop weeks or even months after an infection. Tying them back to a COVID-19 infection may be difficult or impossible.
  • Misdiagnosis: Symptoms can be attributed to other conditions, or people might think they are simply due to aging or stress.
  • Limited testing access: Many COVID-19 infections are unconfirmed, especially since testing has been scaled back in recent years. This makes it difficult to connect subsequent health issues to a COVID-19 infection. CDC surveys find that about 40% of Americans claim they’ve never had COVID-19, which is unlikely to be true.

Common misconceptions about Long COVID

Many people hold incorrect beliefs about who can develop Long COVID.

  • Misconception: People think you can only get Long COVID if you’ve been vaccinated. Others think just the opposite–they think you can’t get Long COVID if you’ve never been vaccinated.
    • Reality: Both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals can develop Long COVID.
  • Misconception: Some people think only people with pre-existing conditions or obese people can get Long COVID
    • Reality: Long COVID affects people of all body types and prior health, including professional athletes.
  • Misconception: If you’ve had COVID-19 once before and are fine, you won’t get Long COVID if you’re reinfected.
    • Reality: Every infection with COVID-19 carries the risk of developing Long COVID.
  • Misconception: Only certain types of people get Long COVID.