Lower prevalence of post-Covid-19 Condition following Omicron SARS-CoV-2 infection
Siméon de Bruijn,
Albert Jan van Hoek,
Elizabeth N. Mutubuki,
Hans Knoop,
Jaap Slootweg,
Anna D. Tulen,
Eelco Franz,
Cees C. van den Wijngaard,
Tessa van der Maaden
Affiliations
Siméon de Bruijn
Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands; Corresponding author Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA Bilthoven, the Netherlands.
Albert Jan van Hoek
Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
Elizabeth N. Mutubuki
Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
Hans Knoop
Department of Medical Psychology and Amsterdam Public Health from the Amsterdam UMC, Location University of Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Jaap Slootweg
Centre for Sustainability, Environment and Health, National Institute for Public Health and Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
Anna D. Tulen
Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
Eelco Franz
Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
Cees C. van den Wijngaard
Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
Tessa van der Maaden
Center for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, the Netherlands
Objectives: Different SARS-CoV-2 variants can differentially affect the prevalence of Post Covid-19 Condition (PCC). This prospective study assesses prevalence and severity of symptoms three months after an Omicron infection, compared to Delta, test-negative and population controls. This study also assesses symptomology after reinfection and breakthrough infections. Methods: After a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, cases were classified as Omicron or Delta based on ≥ 85% surveillance prevalence. Three months after enrolment, participants indicated point prevalence for 41 symptoms and severity, using validated questionnaires for four symptoms. PCC prevalence was estimated as the difference in prevalence of at least one significantly elevated symptom, identified by permutation test, in cases compared to population controls. Results: At three months follow-up, five symptoms and severe dyspnea were significantly elevated in Omicron cases (n = 4138) compared to test-negative (n = 1672) and population controls (n = 2762). PCC prevalence was 10·4% for Omicron cases and 17·7% for Delta cases (n = 6855). In Omicron cases, severe fatigue and dyspnea were more prevalent in reinfected than primary infected, while severity of symptoms did not significantly differ between cases with a booster or primary vaccination course. Conclusions: Prevalence of PCC is 41% lower after Omicron than Delta at three months. Reinfection seems associated with more severe long-term symptoms compared to first infection.
