Long COVID and Recovery Among US Adults, 2026, Shah et al.

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Long COVID and Recovery Among US Adults

Spoiler: Authors

Rishi M Shah; Kavya M Shah; Ji Chen; Mitsuaki Sawano; Bornali Bhattacharjee; Harlan M Krumholz

No abstract.

Web | DOI | PDF | JAMA Network Open | Open Access

 

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Our sample included 9022 adults (weighted mean [SE] age, 44.4 [0.21] years; weighted 52.7% female) in 2022, 15 354 (45.7 [0.19] years; 53.0% female) in 2023, and 18 691 (46.3 [0.18] years; 53.6% female) in 2024. The weighted proportion of US adults reporting prior COVID-19 infection rose from 39.6% (95% CI, 38.8%-40.3%) in 2022 to 60.4% (95% CI, 59.7%-61.1%) in 2024.

Among those infected, the weighted prevalence of LC since the onset of the pandemic declined from 19.7% (95% CI, 18.7%-20.7%) to 13.7% (95% CI, 13.1%-14.4%), while weighted LC recovery rates rose from 51.2% (95% CI, 48.4%-53.9%) to 59.7% (95% CI, 57.1%-62.2%).

Female sex, age 35 to 64 years, and low household income were consistently associated with higher odds of LC, while non-Hispanic Asian adults had lower odds. Recovery from LC remained less likely among adults 35 years or older.

In 2024, 8.3% of US adults—an estimated 21.3 million—reported ever having LC, among whom nearly 6 in 10 reported recovery, consistent with RECOVER initiative 4 findings showing similar LC prevalence in 2023 and 2024 and longitudinal Veterans Affairs data demonstrating declining LC prevalence. Yet many adults, particularly those 35 years or older, continue to experience lasting symptoms.

 

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https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1117998

News Release 2-Mar-2026

Long COVID and recovery among US adults​

JAMA Network Open

Peer-Reviewed Publication
JAMA Network


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About The Study: In 2024, 8.3% of U.S. adults—an estimated 21.3 million—reported ever having long COVID (LC), among whom nearly 6 in 10 reported recovery, consistent with RECOVER initiative findings showing similar LC prevalence in 2023 and 2024 and longitudinal Veterans Affairs data demonstrating declining LC prevalence. Yet many adults, particularly those 35 years or older, continue to experience lasting symptoms. With no LC treatment demonstrating clear efficacy, greater investment in understanding biological mechanisms, including immunotypic differences between those who recover and those who do not, may provide insights into pathways of persistence and potential targets for intervention.

Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Harlan M. Krumholz, MD, SM, email harlan.krumholz@yale.edu.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.0374)

Editor’s Note: Please see the article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, conflict of interest and financial disclosures, and funding and support.

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