Link to the study: https://www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n693

From the study:

> At baseline, individuals with covid-19 had a mean age of 64.5 (standard deviation 19.2) and 54.9% were men. Compared with the general population, individuals in hospital with covid-19 were more likely to be: male, aged 50 or more, living in a deprived area, a former smoker, and overweight or obese (table 1). Individuals with covid-19 were also more likely to be comorbid than the general population, with a higher prevalence of previous admission to hospital and of all measured pre-existing conditions (most notably hypertension, major adverse cardiovascular event, respiratory disease, and diabetes).

> Individuals discharged from hospital after acute covid-19 had increased rates of multiorgan dysfunction (particularly respiratory and cardiometabolic) compared with a matched control group from the general population

> The rate ratio of multiorgan dysfunction (comparing individuals with covid-19 and matched controls) after discharge was greater in those aged less than 70 than in those aged 70 or more, and in ethnic minority groups than in the white population

> Our findings suggest that the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of post-covid syndrome requires integrated rather than organ or disease specific approaches

Long Covid is real. I had a mild case back in August, but it took around 5 months to feel 'normal' again. Lots of inexplicable things: Minor heart palpitations, feeling of 'heaviness' behind my breastbone. When I exercised, even moderately like running a half mile, I would feel strangely exhausted for many hours later. All of this has gone away now, but I can easily see how someone who is hospitalized could have a relapse, either by overdoing it because they think they should be fully recovered, or through some other mysterious after-effect. Personally I believe it is caused by an immune system that is on 'high alert' after being attacked in every organ for multiple weeks (this is how Covid feels). It is logical to me that it might take multiple months for an immune system to gain back its equilibrium. Just guesses, I am not a doctor.

what I find to be even more astonishing: "and about one in eight had died", so 1/8 of those who were in hospital for covid AND discharged afterwards, died within 4 months. We also had another article in the guardian that said that 1 million of people in the UK suffer from long covid ("Symptoms vary but include fatigue, muscle pain and difficulty concentrating."): https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/apr/01/long-covid-s...

The article doesn't give us quite enough information - what percentage of hospitalised Covid patients are over 70? 70 year olds are getting to the point where they spend a lot of time in hospital.

The "hospitalised for Covid" part of the sample group is introducing a lot of bias. Fit, young and healthy people are much less likely to end up in hospital. So it makes sense from the first that the group is suffering more problems than a general population control group.

There is a ton of selection bias here, these are already generally speaking very unhealthy people.

In my opinion the 'long covid' was a line thrust into the spotlight from the media to justify continued restrictions.

Person A: 'We should open up' Person B: 'Have you not heard most people have serious health problems after covid?'

When we talk about proportional reporting I think of the book 'Thinking fast and slow'.

There needs to be some kind of analysis to determine whether they have causality flipped- do they have these long term health problems because of severe COVID or did they get severe COVID due to these long term health problems?

I once had pneumonia, early 30s. It took months to feel 100% again. Its just your lungs get damaged, and takes time to heal. But if you have other health problems, its a spiral. One bad thing leads to the next. Hence, I feel that life is like a bumpy pothole filled road. For the most part, if you get past one, you will keep rolling down. The key is to avoid the big potholes. Some people in terrible physical shape get lucky, and missed a few. When reality is anyone of those previous ones could have taken them out. I learned this on a road from the airport to a hotel in Dominican Republic.

What's the usually figure for (1) patients of flu admitted to hospital, (2) patients of flu with this sort of age breakdown?

Are their unusual or particular symptoms compared to other people with long term issues after viral infections?

I full believe "long covid" is a thing. But so much of covid news has been shitty "studies" that get a lot of press despite shedding very little light and go on to be rapidly disproven but still repeated (Vit D, Chloroquinine etc).

What is the control? Folks admitted for (any other disease)? What was their readmission rate?

Folks needing hospitalization are pretty sick. If they're older, this seems a normal result. I'd have to see some statistics to call it remarkable.

The only reason you've had to endure this for over a year is because you never once tried to do it properly. 6 weeks of hard (proper) lockdown followed by sensible plans to manage outbreaks and boom you'd have been done. But no, Americans absolutely refuse to work together, to pull in the same direction, to achieve something.

https://www.rdkbo.id/

I had both vaccines shots and prob got covid last week. Had no nasal congestion, 100F low fever coming and going, little fatigue, night sweats. After I felt more normal, developed a little cough that I still have.

All the more reason to make sure you're getting enough Vitamins D and K2.

Here's an interesting explanation of how Vitamin D helps the immune system.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cT1CaTv5-e4

Vitamin D improves your uptake of calcium. Vitamin K2 makes sure calcium goes where it's supposed to go. You want your BONES calcified, not your arteries.

  > one in eight of patients dies in the same period

"Eight of them" is grammatically unremarkable. "Eight of the patients" and "eight patients" are also unremarkable, although slightly different in meaning.

"Eight of patients" is jarring. It sounds like "four of clubs."