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. 2023 Apr 12;227(7):855-863.
doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiac281.

Point Prevalence Estimates of Activity-Limiting Long-term Symptoms Among United States Adults ≥1 Month After Reported Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection, 1 November 2021

Mark W Tenforde  1 , Owen J Devine  2 , Heather E Reese  1 , Benjamin J Silk  1 , A Danielle Iuliano  1 , Ryan Threlkel  3 , Quan M Vu  1 , Ian D Plumb  1 , Betsy L Cadwell  1 , Charles Rose  1 , Molly K Steele  1 , Melissa Briggs-Hagen  1 , Daniel Ayoubkhani  4 , Piotr Pawelek  4 , Vahé Nafilyan  4 , Sharon H Saydah  1 , Jeanne Bertolli  1
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Point Prevalence Estimates of Activity-Limiting Long-term Symptoms Among United States Adults ≥1 Month After Reported Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection, 1 November 2021

Mark W Tenforde et al. J Infect Dis. .

Abstract

Background: Although most adults infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) fully recover, a proportion have ongoing symptoms, or post-COVID conditions (PCC), after infection. The objective of this analysis was to estimate the number of United States (US) adults with activity-limiting PCC on 1 November 2021.

Methods: We modeled the prevalence of PCC using reported infections occurring from 1 February 2020 to 30 September 2021, and population-based, household survey data on new activity-limiting symptoms ≥1 month following SARS-CoV-2 infection. From these data sources, we estimated the number and proportion of US adults with activity-limiting PCC on 1 November 2021 as 95% uncertainty intervals, stratified by sex and age. Sensitivity analyses adjusted for underascertainment of infections and uncertainty about symptom duration.

Results: On 1 November 2021, at least 3.0-5.0 million US adults, or 1.2%-1.9% of the US adult population, were estimated to have activity-limiting PCC of ≥1 month's duration. Population prevalence was higher in females (1.4%-2.2%) than males. The estimated prevalence after adjusting for underascertainment of infections was 1.7%-3.8%.

Conclusions: Millions of US adults were estimated to have activity-limiting PCC. These estimates can support future efforts to address the impact of PCC on the US population.

Keywords: COVID-19; disability; long COVID; post-COVID conditions; prevalence.

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Conflict of interest statement

Potential conflicts of interest. This project was funded by the CDC, and CDC co-authors took part in the project design, conduct, analysis, and manuscript preparation. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed.

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