There are still many unknowns related to COVID-19, particularly the long-term effects the virus can have on those who've been infected.
Symptoms can range from fatigue, loss of smell or test, or even kidney complications.
According to recent research conducted by the Penn State University College of Medicine, more than half of the people who were diagnosed with COVID-19 still experience symptoms after six months.
Anyone who has survived COVID-19 and develops new symptoms post-illness or has lingering symptoms months after recovery, "Don't wait," said Dr. Paddy Ssentongo, assistant professor at the Penn State University Center for Neural Engineering and co-lead investigator of this study on KCBS Radio's "Ask an Expert" with KCBS Radio's Dan Mitchinson. "Go and see your healthcare provider."
The study analyzed 57 reports on more than 250,000 unvaccinated adults and children diagnosed with COVID-19 between December 2019 and March 2021 worldwide.
The researchers studied the health of each patient after recovery in three different intervals of time: one month, short-term, two to five months, intermediate-term, and six or more months, long-term.
The results showed that an unprecedented amount of people suffered long-term side effects of the virus, including more than half dealing with weight loss, fatigue, fever or pain, one in four experiencing difficulty concentrating, and more than a quarter having trouble breathing.
The study also linked long COVID-19 with mental health symptoms, nearly one in three patients were diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorders. This connection can be indirect, said Ssentongo, as part of the effect the pandemic has had on people as a whole.
It's unclear though for how long those symptoms are going to stick around. The research on this is still so new, and it's likely health experts will only know more after at least a couple of years of study, said Ssentongo.
"What we know right now," he said, is that after six months, and a few months beyond six months, "those symptoms of long COVID-19 are staying constant as to what we see after one month after recovery."
There are treatment plans now available for people suffering long COVID-19 symptoms, said Ssentongo.
The study has wide-reaching implications for how long COVID-19 will impact healthcare systems worldwide. With more people reporting poor health due to these symptoms, it could increase demand for care, straining already buckling resources.
Related
