A NEW study highlights the enduring effects of post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) on children and young people (CYP), showing that a significant minority continue to experience impairing symptoms up to 24 months after infection.
The findings come from the National Long COVID in Children and Young People (CloCk) study, which followed 12,632 participants aged 11–17 years in England. PCC, often referred to as long COVID, was analysed using a research definition that considered symptom severity, clinical impairment, and validated scales such as the Chalder Fatigue Scale. Participants were divided into four groups based on their SARS-CoV-2 infection status: those who tested negative initially with no subsequent positive test (NN), those who tested negative initially but later tested positive (NP), those who tested positive initially without reported reinfection (PN), and those who tested positive initially with reinfection (PP).
The study found that 7.2% of participants consistently met the PCC definition at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after their initial test, reporting a median of 5–6 symptoms at each time point. Between 20–25% of all groups reported experiencing three or more symptoms at 24 months post-testing, while 10–25% reported five or more symptoms. The highest symptom burden was observed in the reinfected group (PP), while the NN group reported the fewest symptoms (P<0.001).
Older CYP and those from the most deprived backgrounds were disproportionately affected by PCC. Participants meeting the PCC definition reported higher symptom severity and greater impact on daily functioning.
The study underscores the importance of long-term monitoring to fully understand the trajectory of PCC in CYP. Researchers noted a discrepancy between the proportion of participants meeting the PCC definition at 24 months and those consistently meeting it across all time points, emphasising the need for comprehensive longitudinal studies to capture the complexity of this condition.
Ada Enesco, EMJ
Reference
Stephenson T et al. A 24-month National Cohort Study examining long-term effects of COVID-19 in children and young people. Commun Med (Lond). 2024;4(1):255.
