Long COVID remains a widespread and persistent issue across the United States, with an estimated 17.8 million people affected, according to the medical journal Jama.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that the state with the highest rate of long COVID is West Virginia, where 10.6% of the population has experienced the condition. Other states with high rates of long COVID include Montana, Alabama, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.
Conversely, states such as Maryland, Vermont, Hawaii, and Rhode Island report some of the lowest rates of long COVID. As of early 2023, a study found that approximately 6.9% of the US population had experienced long COVID, a condition that continues to impact individuals even after the acute phase of COVID-19 has passed.
Experts point to several factors that may contribute to the disparity in long COVID rates across different states. Dr. Linda Geng, co-director of Stanford University’s Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome Clinic, noted that rural communities, which are more common in states with higher rates of long COVID, face significant healthcare challenges that may exacerbate the impact of the pandemic. These challenges, combined with lower vaccination rates in some areas, are thought to play a role in the higher prevalence of long COVID.
Vaccination has been shown to reduce the risk of developing long COVID. A Yale Medicine study found that the risk of long COVID has decreased from around 10% to just 3.5% among vaccinated individuals. Additionally, a study published in September 2024 confirmed that the COVID-19 vaccine helps lower the risk of long COVID.
Dr. PJ Utz, a professor of medicine at Stanford University, explained that advances in long COVID research have revealed a complex range of symptoms linked to immune system dysfunction, blood clotting abnormalities, and potential autoimmune reactions. In particular, the virus can persist in tissues such as the gut and may reactivate dormant viruses like Epstein-Barr, which has been connected to long COVID.
Despite these challenges, experts emphasize the rapid pace of research into long COVID treatments. As new findings emerge, therapies targeting immune system activation and blood clotting are being developed, potentially offering relief for those suffering from the condition.
The economic impact of long COVID is also significant, with a study in Nature Medicine estimating the annual global cost of the condition at $1 trillion, about 1% of the global economy. In the US, long COVID remains highly prevalent, especially among women, with CDC data indicating that 6.8% of women and 3.7% of men are currently experiencing symptoms.
With input from Newsweek.
