More than 2 million Britons may have suffered from long Covid, study shows

More than two million people may have suffered from long Covid, a government-backed study has found.

The analysis, from the React-2 study, found that more than one third of people in England who had Covid reported symptoms lasting at least 12 weeks – double the previous estimate for long Covid.

Long Covid is an emerging phenomenon that is not yet fully understood, and there is no universally agreed definition. It covers a broad range of symptoms after an initial Covid infection, including fatigue, coughs, chest pain, headaches and muscle pain.

During the study, which took place between September 2020 and February 2021, a random sample of 508,707 adults in England were asked whether they had had Covid (confirmed or suspected) and about the presence and duration of 29 different symptoms.

According to the self-reported survey, some 37 per cent of people who said they had Covid experienced at least one symptom lasting 12 weeks or more and almost 15 per cent said they had three or more symptoms for at least 12 weeks.

The study, which is yet to be peer-reviewed, found that people with ongoing symptoms tended to fall into two categories: those with respiratory symptoms, who often experienced more severe illness when they first got sick, and a second group with fatigue-related symptoms.

Although respondents were asked if they had Covid, and which symptoms persisted, it is possible that some of the symptoms were unrelated to a Covid infection. 

As in previous studies, the Imperial researchers also found that women were more commonly affected, and that the prevalence of ongoing symptoms increased with age – 3.5 per cent for each decade of life.

Professor Paul Elliott, director of the React programme at Imperial College London, said their findings painted a “concerning picture” of the longer-term health consequences of Covid.

“Long Covid is still poorly understood but we hope through our research that we can contribute to better identification and management of this condition, which our data and others’ suggest may ultimately affect millions of people in the UK alone.”

Helen Ward, professor of public health at Imperial College London, added: “We don’t know how long it might last because we haven’t been here before.  But for some people, I imagine a small minority, this is likely to turn into something over the years.”

NHS England has opened more than 80 long COVID assessment services to aid those suffering from long Covid, and the health service has pledged a £100 million plan to expand the support.

Separate research from King’s College London suggested that vaccines could play a key role in suppressing further infections – both by stopping most people from catching the virus and reducing their chances of persistent symptoms if they do.

The study, published last week, found that double jabs reduce the likelihood of debilitating long-term Covid symptoms by as much as 30 per cent among those who become infected with the virus despite being fully vaccinated.