What Are the Prevention Methods for COVID-19 Long COVID Affecting 5 Million People?

48.7% of Koreans Infected with COVID-19... 20% Suffer from Aftereffects
Study Finds Long COVID Lowers Overall Quality of Life
Research on Long COVID Remains in Early Stages

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Byeon Seon-jin] As more than half of the South Korean population has contracted COVID-19, the possibility is raised that long COVID (long-term aftereffects) will emerge as a new social issue. Over approximately 2 years and 9 months, COVID-19 infected 48.7% (25,131,505 people) of the South Korean population, and it is estimated that the number is even higher when including 'hidden infections.' Although overseas studies have shown that long COVID lowers overall quality of life, its causes remain largely unknown.

On the 18th, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) and quarantine authorities, most COVID-19 patients have recovered from aftereffects, but about 20% of patients have experienced various symptoms over the medium to long term. WHO defines long COVID as symptoms that begin within 3 months after a COVID-19 diagnosis and last for at least 2 months without an alternative diagnosis. Common symptoms of long COVID include fatigue, shortness of breath, cough, muscle pain, chest pain, loss of smell and taste, depression and anxiety, fever, and cognitive impairment, but recent studies indicate that other symptoms may also appear.

According to a study published on the 12th by a research team at the University of Glasgow in the UK, 42% of those infected with COVID-19 only partially recovered between 6 to 18 months after infection. Among the aftereffects was the so-called ‘brain fog’ symptom, characterized by decreased concentration and memory as if a fog had settled over the brain. The research team explained, “The impact of long COVID on people is broad, affecting all aspects of daily life and reducing overall quality of life.” A study by the University of Buckingham in the UK, published in July, found that long COVID can cause 115 symptoms, including decreased sexual function and hair loss.

While the Delta variant, which is highly toxic, was predominant overseas, 90% of domestic cases are Omicron patients, so long COVID symptoms tend to be milder. However, some symptoms such as sore throat, cough, and phlegm can appear more intensely. Seoul’s Jungnang District conducted a long COVID aftereffect survey on Omicron recoverees since January and announced the findings on the 14th. Hair loss, which was relatively common among Delta variant patients, was almost absent in Omicron patients, but symptoms that interfere with daily life, such as decreased concentration and memory, fatigue, and mental and psychological difficulties, still appeared.

Research on long COVID is still in its infancy, with even the identification of its nature, causes, and effects on the human body not yet established. Even when visiting hospitals, clear diagnoses based on symptoms are often unavailable. The US government began observing 40,000 long COVID patients in April to better understand the disease. The South Korean government plans to create standardized data on about 10,000 citizens, from children and adolescents to adults, in the second half of the year and develop treatment guidelines by the first half of next year.

Currently, increasing immunity through vaccination to reduce long COVID symptoms is one approach. According to a study published in August by a research team at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University in the international journal ‘npj Vaccines,’ patients who received two vaccine doses had 62-80% lower symptoms such as fatigue, headache, and shortness of breath compared to unvaccinated individuals. In South Korea, since COVID-19 vaccinations began on February 26 last year, 97% of the population has received at least one dose, but the uptake rate for updated vaccines targeting current variants is only 0.3%. COVID-19 vaccine immunity is generally known to last about four months.

Professor Kim Woo-joo of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Korea University Guro Hospital analyzed, “Since more than 25 million people in South Korea have been confirmed infected, it is estimated that 2.5 to 5 million people are suffering from long COVID. Those who were vaccinated and then infected tend to experience milder symptoms and have a lower incidence of long COVID compared to those who were not vaccinated.”

There is also an opinion that timely administration of COVID-19 therapeutics is crucial. Professor Cheon Eun-mi of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Ewha Mokdong Hospital said, “Overseas long COVID cases mainly involved patients infected with highly toxic Alpha and Delta variants, but most domestic patients were infected with the milder Omicron variant. Administering antiviral and other COVID-19 treatments early to confirmed patients to reduce viral replication is a way to prevent long COVID.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.