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Some people are at increased risk of getting sick from COVID-19 because of where they live or work, or because they can’t get health care. Health Inequities May Affect Populations at Risk for Long COVID People who experience multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) during or after COVID-19 illness.People who did not get a COVID-19 vaccine.People who had underlying health conditions prior to COVID-19.People who have experienced more severe COVID-19 illness, especially those who were hospitalized or needed intensive care.These are examples and not a comprehensive list of people or groups who might be more at risk than other groups for developing Long COVID:
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Studies have shown that some groups of people may be affected more by Long COVID. Researchers are working to understand which people or groups of people are more likely to have Long COVID, and why. Symptoms that are hard to explain and manage
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For some people, Long COVID can last weeks, months, or years after COVID-19 illness and can sometimes result in disability. Sometimes the symptoms can even go away and come back again. People with Long COVID can have a wide range of symptoms that can last weeks, months, or even years after infection. CDC and partners are working to understand more about who experiences Long COVID and why, including whether groups disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 are at higher risk.While most people with Long COVID have evidence of infection or COVID-19 illness, in some cases, a person with Long COVID may not have tested positive for the virus or known they were infected.Each time a person is infected or reinfected with SARS-CoV-2, they have a risk of developing Long COVID. People can be reinfected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, multiple times.People who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 and become infected may have a higher risk of developing Long COVID compared to people who have been vaccinated.Long COVID occurs more often in people who had severe COVID-19 illness, but anyone who has been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 can experience it.Long COVID can include a wide range of ongoing health problems these conditions can last weeks, months, or years.
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