Approximately 7% of children consistently met the criteria for long COVID over multiple time points across a 24-month period, according to a recent study.

The 24-month longitudinal cohort study conducted in England evaluated the long-term impacts of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children and young people (CYP) aged 11 to 17. The study—part of the CLoCk study—assessed the prevalence and impact of post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) in over 12,600 participants. According to the study 7.2% of CYP consistently met the Delphi research definition for PCC at 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-months post-infection, reporting a median of 5 to 6 persistent symptoms at each time point.

At 24 months, 25% to 30% of participants reported at least three symptoms, with tiredness, sleep disturbances, shortness of breath, and headaches most prevalent. Reinfected participants reported a higher symptom burden, with 20.8% experiencing five or more symptoms compared to 14.2% among those who never tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Variations in symptom types and severity were observed among different groups. PCC prevalence was notably higher in older adolescents, females, and participants from socioeconomically deprived areas. Among those with reinfections, 30% met the PCC definition compared to 25% of those with a single infection. Validated health scales indicated that CYP meeting PCC criteria scored lower on quality-of-life measures and higher on fatigue and emotional and physical difficulty scales compared to those not meeting the PCC criteria.

Published in Communications Medicine, the study found that at 24 months 25% to 30% of participants met the PCC criteria. Still, only 7.2% consistently met the definition across all assessed time points, reflecting variability in symptom persistence. These findings emphasize the need for longitudinal research to better understand the trajectory and clinical implications of PCC. The study suggests that tailored interventions could address the physical and mental health challenges reported by affected youth. Further research is needed to investigate PCC pathophysiology, develop diagnostic tools, and evaluate potential treatments.

Full disclosures can be found in the published study.