Scientists have warned that Long Covid is going to be “the next big global health challenge” as new research shows women are more likely to be affected.
Latest findings from the most detailed study yet into the little understood syndrome found women are 38% more likely to suffer with Long Covid.
This is despite women being less likely than men to suffer with severe complications during the initial infection.
Initial polling conducted between September 2020 and February 2021 on 508,000 Brits found that of those who reported having had Covid, 37% had at least one lasting symptom 12 weeks later.
New data on 100,000 more Brits who took part in Imperial College London’s REACT-LC study shows those questioned in May 2021 saw prevalence drop to 22%.
It follows many reports that people are suffering breathlessness after just going upstairs or popping out for a walk.
Author Prof Helen Ward said: “Fatigue and tiredness was the most commonly reported symptoms. Even if the [Long Covid] estimates are at the lower end of the spectrum, we conclude that a lot of people have long persisting symptoms.
“This is a major, major challenge [for the NHS ]. It’s the next big global health challenge.”
The findings, soon to be published in the journal Nature Communications, show symptoms that lasted for at least 12 weeks tended to group together.
Many patients suffer lingering respiratory symptoms such as tight chest and shortness of breath.
A second group of Long Covid sufferers tended to have tiredness, muscle and joint aches as well as difficulty sleeping
Initial polling had come at the height of the pandemic when many people were going through lockdowns and staying home more.
Researchers cannot rule out part of the difference in the later polling being down to people forgetting that their symptoms had lasted that long.
Prof Ward added: “Most of the infections reported were from 2020 so there may be some aspect of recall bias.”
At least half of the UK population is thought to have had symptomatic Covid.
The study is being funded by the Government through UK Research and Innovation.
Researchers found that for most people who caught Covid then symptoms faded in the first month.
However if any symptom remained for 12 weeks then it tended to be with the patient for at least six months.
“That suggests there’s some chronic illness going on there,” Prof Ward said.
“We know millions of people in the UK have had this infection.
“The more extreme cases have been left with significant disability, such as profound tiredness and brain fog, and they really can’t function and hold down a job.”
* The headline on this story has been amended from 'More Brits could avoid Long Covid if they catch virus in warmer months of year', to 'Long Covid is a ‘major challenge’ and more women are affected than men, new study shows'.
The article has been amended to remove suggestions that the drop from 37% reporting Long Covid down to 22% could be affected by the time of year participants were asked the question and that the seasons could affect chances of recovery.
