Long Covid

Among Southerners who previously had Covid, 1 in 3 currently suffer from Long Covid symptoms. In WV, it’s 1 in 2.

Long Covid estimates, Sep 14-26, 2022

Percent of adults who previously had Covid, with symptoms lasting 3 months or longer

Source: Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey.

Among those who previously had Covid, 32% of Southerners (and 29% of non-Southerners) are currently experiencing prolonged symptoms, known as Long Covid.¹ Studies show that Long Covid largely affects immune and circulatory systems, as well as the brain and lungs.^2,3,4,5 Nearly half (49%) of Covid survivors in West Virginia currently report Long Covid symptoms, which is the highest rate in the nation.

A large-scale Scottish study reported that symptomatic Covid patients were more likely to report Long Covid symptoms, most of which impaired daily activities.⁶ A separate study showed evidence of neurological changes in Long Covid patients, hypothesizing that those who are predisposed to certain neurological disorders (such as seizures, migraines, and Alzheimers) could be at an even higher risk of developing them.⁷

These findings could worsen already overwhelmed disability and health care services and a recovering labor force. A Brookings Institute study estimates that up to 4 million people are out of the workforce due to Long Covid, costing as much as $235 billion in annual wage losses.⁸ Long Covid patients who reduced their work hours struggle with disability services that are unable to keep up with rapidly changing diagnoses. Stronger policies that focus on prevention and treatment, along with improved employer accommodations can help mitigate an impending crisis.

1. “Long COVID: Household Pulse Survey”. CDC. June, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/covid19/pulse/long-covid.htm 

2. “Immunological dysfunction persists for 8 months following initial mild-to-moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection”. Phetsouphanh, Darley, Wilson, Howe, Munier, Patel, Juno, Burrell, Kent, Dore, Kelleher, and Matthews. Nature Immunology. January, 2022. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41590-021-01113-x

3. “Persistent Exertional Intolerance After COVID-19, Insights From Invasive Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing”. Singh, Joseph, Heerdt, Cullinan, Lutchmansingh, Gulati,  Possick, Systrom, and Waxman. January, 2022. https://journal.chestnet.org/article/S0012-3692(21)03635-7/fulltext

4. “Nervous system consequences of COVID-19”. Spudich, Nath. Science.org. January, 2022. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abm2052

5. “The Investigation of Pulmonary Abnormalities using Hyperpolarised Xenon Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Long-COVID”. Grist, Collier, Walters, Chen, Eid, Laws, Matthews, Jacob, Cross, Eves, Durant, Mcintyre, Thompson, Schulte, Raman, Robbins, Wild, Fraser, and Gleeson. MedRxiv. February, 2022. https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.01.22269999v1

6. “Outcomes among confirmed cases and a matched comparison group in the Long-COVID in Scotland study”. Hastie, Lowe, McAuley, Winter, Mills, Black, Scott, O’Donnell, Blane, Browne, Ibbotson, and Pell. Nature Communications. October, 2022. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-33415-5#Tab3

7. “Long-term neurologic outcomes of COVID-19”. Xu, Xie, Al-Aly. Nature Medicine. September, 2022. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02001-z#MOESM2

8. “New data shows long Covid is keeping as many as 4 million people out of work”. Bach. Brookings. August, 2022. https://www.brookings.edu/research/new-data-shows-long-covid-is-keeping-as-many-as-4-million-people-out-of-work/