Long COVID FAQs

Long COVID is common, affecting up to 10% to 20% of children with a history of COVID-19. With almost 6 million US children potentially affected, this is higher than the number of children with asthma, the most common chronic health problem in children.

Long COVID in Young Children, School-Aged Children, and Teens

Long covid has been described as a “complex, multisystem disorder that can affect nearly every organ system and can be severely disabling,” and in 2024 it was reported to be affecting around 400 million people worldwide. The cardiovascular system is commonly affected, with cardiovascular symptoms being the third most frequent manifestation of the condition after neurological-neuropsychiatric and pneumological symptoms.

Why covid-19 is “a vascular disease masquerading as a respiratory one”

Researchers keep discovering more about the long-term neurological effects of SARS-CoV-2. Doctors call it Ondine’s curse—a catastrophic failure of the brain stem in which breathing no longer happens automatically, especially during sleep. It’s extremely rare, typically seen only in infants with genetic mutations or adults after severe trauma, and for a long time it wasn’t something doctors associated with viral infections.

How Covid Quietly Rewires the Brain

COVID-19 infection—even mild cases—can cause substantial long-term changes in the immune system that may be implicated in long COVID, concludes a new observational study by Medical University of Vienna (MUV) researchers published in Allergy.

COVID can trigger changes to the immune system that may underlie persistent symptoms

Recent studies have revealed that both SARS-CoV-2 and tumor cells utilizes similar mechanistic pathways to their advantage. These include inducing immunosuppression, oxidative stress, disrupting DDR signaling, activating stemness pathways, and downregulating tumor suppressor proteins.

Oncogenic potential of SARS-CoV-2—targeting hallmarks of cancer pathways

The employment–population ratio for people with a disability reached 22.7 percent in 2024, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, marking a series high since data collection began in 2008. While the employment rate has steadily increased since 2019, the rise is attributed to pandemic-related disabilities, particularly cognitive impairments linked to Long COVID.

Civilian Labor Force - With a Disability, 16 Years and over

Drawing from the CDC data, Bach estimates in her August 2022 report that as many 4 million working-age Americans are too sick with Long COVID to perform their jobs. That works out to as much as $230 billion in lost wages, or almost 1 percent of the U.S. GDP.

Long COVID Could Cost the Economy Trillions, Experts Predict