Different factors also influenced which of the symptoms people were most likely to experience. For example, older people and men had more breathing difficulties and cognitive problems, whereas young people and women had more headaches, abdominal symptoms and anxiety or depression.
Covid patients admitted to hospital were more likely to suffer cognitive problems like brain fog and fatigue compared with people who did not need to be admitted, the research found. People who did not need hospital care were more likely to have headaches than those who needed to be admitted.
Many patients had more than one long Covid symptom, the researchers said.
“These data complement findings from self-report surveys, and show that clinicians are diagnosing patients with these symptoms. We need appropriately configured services to deal with the current and future clinical need,” said Taquet.
The study also looked at the same symptoms in people recovering from flu.
People who get flu can have prolonged symptoms similar to those seen in some patients with long Covid, the study suggests, but lasting symptoms occur to a far lesser extent in those who had influenza.
Symptoms linked to long Covid were 50% more common among those who had Covid compared with those who had flu, the researchers estimated.
Prof Amitava Banerjee, Professor of Clinical Data Science and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist, University College London, who was not involved in the research, said it was a “large, well-conducted and thorough study”.
He said the findings supported the calls that have been made for “large-scale rollout of health services” for those with long Covid, including those not hospitalised with Covid.
“Over half of patients (57%) had at least one long Covid feature recorded in the six months after infection and one-third (37%) in the 90 to 180 days after diagnosis,” said Banerjee.
The study had limitations, such as the fact it had focused on the nine symptoms probably most common among those with long Covid, he stressed. However, because as many as 200 signs of long Covid have previously been suggested, “the reported incidence” of long Covid was actually “likely to be an underestimate”.
He added that the fact the nine symptoms were all more common after Covid-19 than for flu was “yet another arrow in the quiver against bogus ‘this is just like flu’ claims”.
Separate research published on Tuesday found more than one in 10 secondary school pupils and over a third of school staff who had Covid-19 in England have suffered ongoing symptoms.
The most common symptom reported by staff and pupils was weakness or tiredness, while staff were more likely to experience shortness of breath than pupils, according to the study from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Overall, the ONS estimates that 970,000 people in the UK are suffering continuing symptoms after a Covid-19 infection.
The figures, based on self-reported symptoms, also suggest 384,000 people are still living with symptoms a year after infection.
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Vaccine Mandates
Vaccine mandates for government employed workers are increasing around the world – with Costa Rica now ordering that all state workers will have to be fully vaccinated. Private companies will be able to mandate vaccination for their own employees the Costa Rican health ministry said in a statement.
Approximately 40% of the population has been fully vaccinated but big gaps remain, as almost 30% of Costa Ricans have not received even a single shot.
The Social Security Fund, which runs Costa Rica’s public hospital system, has since February required immunization against COVID-19 for all its workers.
On Monday, the University of Costa Rica, the country’s biggest university, also announced a vaccination mandate.
The health authorities did not outline the consequences for employees who refuse to take a vaccine, saying “it will be the employer’s responsibility to take measures according to the country’s legislation and institutional regulations”.
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US NBA Mandate
In the US, senior basketball players who are not vaccinated against Covid-19 will have to comply with a long list of restrictions to take part in the upcoming season ESPN is reporting.
The restrictions include having to eat separately from vaccinated players.
ESPN said that, as per the NBA’s health and safety protocols released to teams on Tuesday, vaccinated players will only be tested if they show symptoms or are a close contact of a positive case.
But unvaccinated players will have to undergo daily testing prior to entering a team facility, participating in team-organised activities, or interacting with other players and coaches.
Unvaccinated players will not be allowed to dine in the same room as other players, and must be given a locker as distant as possible from other players.
Unvaccinated players will also have to remain at their residence, or the team hotel during road trips, outside game time except for team and essential activities such as taking children to school or buying groceries.
They will also have to quarantine for seven days if they are a close contact while vaccinated players will only have to do so in “unusual circumstances”.
The report said face masks were mandatory for all players for the 2021-22 season, which starts on 19 October.
Vaccination is not mandatory but 90% of NBA players already are, the Players Association executive director Michele Roberts told Yahoo Sports in July.
Four-time NBA champion LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers said he was initially “very sceptical” about the vaccine but decided to take it after doing his research.
“I don’t talk about other people and what they should do,” James said. “I don’t think I personally should get involved in what other people do for their bodies and livelihoods.
“I know that I was very sceptical about it but after doing my own research I felt like it was best suited for me and my family and my friends.”
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Eastern Europe a COVID Hot Spot
