The health impact of long COVID during the 2021-2022 Omicron wave in Australia: a quantitative burden of disease study

Abstract

Objectives To quantify the morbidity impact of long COVID in Australia during the 2021-2022 Omicron wave in comparison to acute COVID-19 morbidity and mortality, and to other causes of morbidity and mortality in Australia. Design Burden of disease study using inputs from previously published population-based case-control, cross-sectional, or cohort studies. Setting Australia Participants People with symptomatic COVID-19 infection from 10/12/21 to 09/04/22. Main outcomes measured Years lived with disability (YLDs) from acute COVID-19 and long COVID measured as the product of the prevalence, duration and severity of each long COVID symptom determined from existing literature, summed across all long COVID symptoms and applied to the population of COVID-19 surviving cases in Australia during the 2021-2022 Omicron wave. Additionally, acute COVID YLDs and years of life lost from COVID deaths were estimated to generate total COVID-19 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Results During the Omicron wave in Australia, 5,300 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 2,200-8,400) YLDs were attributable to long COVID, accounting for 74% of the overall YLDs from COVID-19 infections in this period. The overall DALYs due to COVID-19 in this four-month period were 51,000 (95% UI 21,000-80,900), comprising 2.4% of total DALYs. This is comparable to the health loss caused by dementia and drug use disorders. Conclusion Long COVID requires consideration in pandemic policy planning given it is responsible for the majority of the total morbidity loss from COVID-19, even during an Omicron wave in a highly vaccinated population. Further research into the symptom profile and duration of long COVID following Omicron infection, and more robust severity measurement, will allow for more accurate estimation of long COVID morbidity.

Clinical Characteristics and Short-term Outcomes of Acute Pancreatitis with COVID-19

“…The prevalence of cough in our COVID-19 patients after discharge (15%) was similar to what has been reported in other studies (19). Research has shown that vaccinated individuals and those infected with the Omicron variant have a lower risk of developing long COVID syndrome (20). This may explain why there was no difference in long COVID syndrome among our patients.…”

MARGINAL NOTES, June 2023 – running on empty

“…The pathogenesis of PASC has started to make sense [5], but a consensus on diagnosis appears out of reach for many who struggle with prolonged post-viral effects. It is notable that the majority of the years lived with disability due to COVID-19 appear attributable to long COVID, when only a minority of acute cases go on to develop the long form [6]. If you are still not convinced that this is a real, organic disease entity, read a patient's account and reflect on how this could easily have been you [7].…”