Mild COVID-19 Is Not Necessarily Benign

Substantial numbers of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have lingering symptoms several months after discharge. What happens after mild disease? Researchers in Sweden invited healthcare professionals with mild COVID-19 (age range, 33–56; 85% women) to complete baseline questionnaires and have blood samples tested every 4 months for SARS-CoV-2 anti-spike IgG. At the 8-month follow up, 323 seropositive and 1072 seronegative participants reported on persistence, severity, and duration of 23 predefined symptoms. Underlying chronic conditions were reported by 23% of participants regardless of serostatus.

At least 1 moderate-to-severe symptom lasting ≥2 months was reported by 26% (seropositive) versus 9% (seronegative) participants; symptoms lasting ≥8 months were reported by 15% versus 3% of seropositive and seronegative participants, respectively. The most common symptoms reported by seropositive participants were anosmia, fatigue, ageusia, and dyspnea. Seropositive participants reported that persistent symptoms moderately to markedly disrupted their work life (8%), social life (15%), or home life (12%).