Anecdotally this statistic is just not right, or the hardships of long covid hits people very differently. Most people I know (hundreds) have had covid several times at this point. I know one person who believes to have long covid in a debilitating way.

[–] jol@discuss.tchncs.de 15 points 10 months ago (1 children)

10% does seem crazy high. But it's also possible that some long covid effects go noticed. Also totally anecdotally, but I heard multiple people say they just don't feel as fit now doing cardio, myself included. Is it we're just older or did we get slight lung damage? Or worse, heart damage. Our bodies are really surprisingly sturdy and able to keep up with damage for a long time.

I know 2 people with severe complications from long covid. And I don't know that many people. So how many around me are living with mild long covid complications and don't realize it?

[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 13 points 10 months ago (1 children)

This is why anecdotes are not informative when trying to understand statistics. You almost certainly don't have a close relationship with hundreds of people that would involve informing you of lingering COVID symptoms nor do you have a random sampling of acquaintances (age, ethnicity, and vaccination status affect how common it is).

https://www.webmd.com/covid/news/20230526/one-in-ten-people-omicron-long-covid

[–] droog_the_droog@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

I mean, fair, but also: if the implication is that vaccination is the key to reducing covid symptoms - no shit? Also, the article you link mentions 10 percent rate of omicron cases leading to long covid (not mentioning how vaccination rates play into it), so...

Assuming I have a 100 close ties (I have significantly more), and just one of these exhibiting publicly that they have long covid seems highly unlikely. According to the below link, 60% of the US population has caught omicron. The probability of only one of my sixty close ties having long covid is ~1.2%. So...

https://www.statnews.com/2022/04/26/with-omicron-nearly-60-percent-in-us-infected-covid/

[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The correct response to being reminded that anecdotes aren't data isn't trying to do more math on your anecdata.

Actual studies measure these rates. Your limited knowledge of your extended acquaintance group means jack shit for whether they're correct. I only know of a single person in my extended acquaintances who had heart disease. It doesn't mean that general population statistics on heart disease are wrong, it means some combination of I'm missing information and my sample is biased. Your sample is not random (so multiplying a statistic of the general population against them is not valid) and you don't actually know who's experienced long COVID symptoms. Some may have had some and gotten better, some may not even recognize a lingering cough or being more worn out as a symptom, and some may just not feel like it's necessary to tell you.

[–] droog_the_droog@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago

Absolutely. Always consider medical statistics based on self reporting with a grain of salt is all I'm saying. Obviously, my back of a napkin maths based on my personal circumstances shouldn't be used as any kind of evidence on your behalf. This is also why I say it's based on my own anecdotes.

[–] steeznson@lemmy.world 10 points 10 months ago (1 children)

The people who have experienced long-term effects are extremely vocal online but it's hard to imagine that it is as common as 1 in 10 given how many people have had covid.

I am extremely curious to see if they find a genotype or something which is an indicator for people being vulnerable to long-covid. It's possible that it will end up being a similar situation for ME/CFS where we have no specific biological markers which differentiate people who suffer from it (aside from the symptoms).

[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

We have scientific studies so you don't need to just go with whatever you imagine reality is. Long COVID isn't necessarily a life altering debilitation, it's symptoms lasting 3 or more months. Often they clear up, but sometimes they don't.

[–] steeznson@lemmy.world 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I was thinking about a particular study which identifies why some people seem to get long term effects and others don't. To my knowledge - and from a quick search - that doesn't seem to exist.

[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 0 points 10 months ago

The people who have experienced long-term effects are extremely vocal online but it’s hard to imagine that it is as common as 1 in 10 given how many people have had covid.

I was responding to this.

[–] c0mbatbag3l@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

The only person I know who got long covid was unvaccinated, not sure if that affects the likelihood in any way of it sticking around.

I had it twice, and the first time it was a fairly simple thing that went over quickly and the second was a really bad flu-like deal. Though my A/C was out in summertime so it could have just been because of the 90 degree heat in my house or something, idk.

[–] astral_avocado@lemm.ee 1 points 10 months ago

Same, I know absolutely zero people who have gotten long COVID. My brother had it kinda mess him up with fatigue for a few months but he's perfectly fine now.