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Risk of new-onset long COVID following reinfection with SARS-CoV-2: community-based cohort study

Abstract:

Background

Little is known about the risk of long COVID following reinfection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We estimated the likelihood of new-onset, self-reported long COVID after a second SARS-CoV-2 infection, compared to a first infection.

Methods

We included UK COVID-19 Infection Survey participants who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 between 1 November 2021 and 8 October 2022. The primary outcome was self-reported long COVID 12–20 weeks after each infection. Separate analyses were performed for those <16 years and ≥16 years. We estimated adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for new-onset long COVID using logistic regression, comparing second to first infections, controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and calendar date of infection, plus vaccination status in participants ≥16 years of age.

Results

Overall, long COVID was reported by those ≥16 years after 4.0% and 2.4% of first and second infections, respectively; the corresponding estimates among those aged <16 years were 1.0% and 0.6%. The aOR for long COVID after second compared to first infections was 0.72 (95% confidence interval [CI], .63–.81) for those ≥16 years and 0.93 (95% CI, .57–1.53) for those <16 years.

Conclusions

The risk of new-onset long COVID after a second SARS-CoV-2 infection is lower than that after a first infection for persons aged ≥16 years, though there is no evidence of a difference in risk for those <16 years. However, there remains some risk of new-onset long COVID after a second infection, with around 1 in 40 of those aged ≥16 years and 1 in 165 of those <16 years reporting long COVID after a second infection.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Files:
Publisher copy:
10.1093/ofid/ofad493

Authors


More by this author
Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
MSD
Department:
NDM
Sub department:
NDM Experimental Medicine
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-0412-8509


Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Journal:
Open Forum Infectious Diseases More from this journal
Volume:
10
Issue:
11
Article number:
ofad493
Publication date:
2023-10-05
Acceptance date:
2023-10-02
DOI:
EISSN:
2328-8957


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
1541163
Local pid:
pubs:1541163
Deposit date:
2023-10-05

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