Long COVID—six months of prospective follow-up of changes in symptom profiles of non-hospitalised children and young people after SARS-CoV-2 testing: A national matched cohort study (The CLoCk) study

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0277704
• Publication Date: 2023-03-06T18:30:25Z
• Authors: Terence Stephenson; Snehal M. Pinto P...; Manjula D. Nugawela; Kelsey McOwat; Ruth Simmons; Trudie Chalder; Tamsin Ford; Isobel Heyman; Olivia V. Swann; Lana Fox-Smith; Natalia K. Rojas; Emma Dalrymple; Shamez N. Ladhani; Roz Shafran
• Keywords: Sore throat; myalgia; Chills; Common cold

Little is known about the prevalence and natural trajectory of post-COVID symptoms in young people, despite very high numbers people having acute COVID. To date, there has been no prospective follow-up to establish pattern over a 6-month time period.A non-hospitalised, national sample 3,395 (1,737 SARS-COV-2 Negative;1,658 Positive at baseline) children (CYP) aged 11-17 completed questionnaires 3 6 months after PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between January March 2021 were compared with age, sex geographically-matched test-negative CYP.Three positive PCR test, 11 21 most common reported by >10% CYP had reduced. There was further decline months. By chills, fever, myalgia, cough sore throat who tested for reduced from 10-25% testing <3%. The loss smell declined 21% 5% 4% Prevalence shortness breath tiredness also declined, but lower rate. Among test-negatives, same trends observed prevalence's. Importantly, some instances (shortness breath, tiredness) overall specific individual higher than PCR-testing because these new cohorts not symptom previously.In CYP, time. Similar patterns among test-positives test-negatives six post-test both groups suggesting that are unlikely exclusively be consequence infection. Many experienced unwanted warrant investigation potential intervention.