COVID-19 can result in prolonged illness among those who are not hospitalized, with 35 percent of those who tested positive for the disease reporting that they had not returned to their usual state of heath two to three weeks after testing, a new CDC survey shows.
The survey was conducted via telephone from April 15-June 25. Adults 18 years and older in 13 states who had a positive test for the new coronavirus were interviewed 14 to 21 days after the test date. The patients were not hospitalized.
Of 292 U.S. adults polled, 274 (94 percent) reported experiencing one or more symptoms at the time of testing. About 35 percent of these symptomatic respondents reported not having returned to their usual state of health by the date of the interview, including 26 percent of those between 18 and 34 years old.
Among 180 persons with zero to one chronic medical condition, 28 percent reported not having returned to their usual state of health. And among 48 respondents ages 18 to 34 years with no chronic medical condition, 19 percent reported not having returned to their usual state of health.
"These findings indicate that COVID-19 can result in prolonged illness even among persons with milder outpatient illness, including young adults," the CDC report said. "Effective public health messaging targeting these groups is warranted."