According to a study conducted by Public Health France, more than 2 million people had post-Covid-19 symptoms at the end of 2022 in France. Seniors are one of the categories best protected against this disorder.
- The prevalence of post-COVID-19 disease is estimated at 4% in the general adult population.
- 2.06 million people over the age of 18 had long covid in France at the end of 2022.
- The prevalence of long covid was more than 2 times higher in women and 2 to 3 times lower in the oldest people 65 and over.
While Covid-19 is cured in most cases in 2 to 3 weeks, some patients may continue to have symptoms, or see them reappear, more than 4 weeks after infection. This disorder, called post-Covid-19 condition or long covid, remains relatively unknown. However, a new study by Public Health France sheds new light on the people who suffer from it.
Affection post covid-19 : 1.2% very affected by the disease
The study, carried out by Public Health France between September and November 2022 and published this June 21, 2023shows that the prevalence of post-Covid-19 disease (according to the WHO definition) is estimated at 4% of the general French adult population. 2.06 million people had symptoms of long covid in the country such as extreme fatigue, persistent pain or even breathing difficulties, at the time of the research. In addition, 1.2% of them declared that the disease had a strong or very strong impact on their daily activities.
If we take into account only the person’s perception of having been affected by the covid long (be the covid long reported)the prevalence jumps to 7.1%.
In addition, among the 48% of people who had had a SARS-CoV-2 infection for more than three months, 8% presented the criteria for a post-Covid-19 condition. “The prevalence of post-COVID-19 disease according to the WHO definition in the general population stabilizes at 4% (1.2% for the most severe form)while the prevalence among those infected for more than 3 months is decreasing (8%). Despite the stabilization of the prevalence, the monitoring of long-term COVID and in particular of post-COVID-19 disease is still strongly required in the months to come. This affection was, in fact, immediately imposed among the most common chronic conditions”makes the report.
covid long : more than 22% of respondents affected for more than 18 months
The long covid can persist for several months. 30.9% of people with a post-Covid-19 condition had been so for more than 12 months and 22.4% for more than 18 months. “We also note that more than a fifth (21.3%) of them were infected during the Delta variant wave and 53.2% during the Omicron wave”add the authors of the study.
The work of the French organization has also made it possible to shed light on the people most likely to develop long covid. Prevalence of post-COVID-19 condition is higher in women (10.2%)job seekers (14.9%) as well as patients who have been hospitalized for COVID-19 (18.6%). On the other hand, seniors seem better protected against this disorder. The risk of having it is two to three times greater weak in people aged 65 and over.
Public Health France intends to carry out additional analyzes in the second half of 2023 to identify the biological, psychological, professional and social risk factors of Covid long.