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More than four years after SARS-CoV-2 began, researchers are still struggling to understand long COVID, adding the probably undeniable question of how many more people suffer from it. Estimates of its prevalence vary widely, depending on other study methods and definitions of the disease. Now, for the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has attempted to estimate its prevalence among adults in each and every U. S. state and territory. U. S. the United States, as well as those who appear to be unharmed.
Overall, the CDC found that seven states in the South, West, and Midwest had the highest prevalence of long COVID in the country, between 8. 9% and 10. 6%: Alabama, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Wyoming, and the state. with the highest prevalence of 10. 6 percent, West Virginia. The findings are published in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
On the other end of the spectrum, the states of New England, Washington, and Oregon had lower prevalence rates, between 3. 7% and 5. 3%. The lowest rate seen in the U. S. Virgin Islands is the lowest rate seen in the U. S. Virgin Islands. This is the first time in the U. S. , with 1. 9%. Washington, D. C. , and Guam had levels between 1. 9 percent and 3. 6 percent.
For those estimates, CDC researchers explained long COVID cases as self-reported symptoms for 3 months or more that occurred before contracting COVID-19. These symptoms can come with a wide variety of illnesses, from gastrointestinal disorders to central palpitations, joints. pain, respiratory symptoms, neurological disorders, and fatigue.
The estimates are based on responses to a national surveillance system survey conducted in 2022. The survey did not collect some notable data, such as whether other people managed to remedy the acute phase of their COVID-19 infection, how long it has been since their infection, the final duration of their long COVID (if not ongoing), and their vaccination status. Knowledge about vaccination was only available to a subset of respondents and is not included in the report.
The authors hope the findings can “help identify geographic disparities in long COVID in the U. S. “”That could simply represent interventions to promote equity in fitness. “
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