One in 20 young people have Long Covid; 3% of adults

Around 5 percent of young people between the ages of 12 and 25 got Long Covid after a coronavirus infection. The same is true for 3 percent of adults over 26, the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) reported on Monday.

Almost 20 percent of adults and 25 percent of young people with Long Covid said their symptoms are severe enough to limit them in their daily lives. They often report exhaustion, concentration and memory problems, and shortness of breath. 39 percent of adults have had symptoms for one to two years, and 32 percent for two to three years. Among young people, 30 percent said one to two years, and 9 percent said two to three years.

36 percent of adults and 39 percent of young people with Long Covid symptoms have received an official diagnosis from their GP. 39 percent of adults and 44 percent of young people said they or people who know them well think they have Long Covid, sometimes also called post-Covid syndrome.

GPs also reported to the RIVM that the number of people coming to them with memory and concentration problems is still “considerably higher” than before the pandemic. What is extra striking here is that it mainly concerns younger adults. The number of 24 to 45-year-olds with memory and concentration problems increased by 60 percent compared to 2019. Among the elderly, the number of people with memory and concentration problems has returned to 2019 levels.