Chornic challenge: High prevalence of long COVID a stark reminder

A high prevalence of long COVID is the starkest reminder that the pandemic is far from over. The latest New Zealand Health Survey confirms the impacts continue, six years after the initial outbreak. Data show most New Zealanders (77.7% or about 3.3 million people) have had COVID at least once.

Many reported health changes after infection, but about one in 11 adults (4,01,000 people) described symptoms lasting three months or longer. These were impacts not experienced prior to infection and could not be explained by a different diagnosis.

Women were more likely to report symptoms — about 1 in 7 (14.9%) compared to 1 in 12 men (8.5%). Only among those aged over 65 were the rates similar. One in six Māori adults (15.5%) reported long COVID symptoms, compared to one in nine non-Māori (11.3%), while one in four people living with disabilities (22.8%) experienced lasting symptoms.

Overall, 11.9% of adults who contracted COVID developed long COVID, and almost half (48.5%) were still experiencing symptoms at the time of the survey. New Zealand must take this seriously. Denial and delays in care mean missing opportunities to limit harms.

The results are backed by international studies and previous research showing a fifth of New Zealand children reported persisting symptoms. While self-reported surveys can vary, this is representative and likely an undercount because the risk increases with reinfection. Since the survey, many more cases have occurred; New Zealand is now in a ninth wave.

Long COVID can affect every organ, including the cardiovascular, immune and nervous systems. Main symptoms include brain fog, fatigue and post-exertional malaise. However, infection can also cause chronic disease without symptoms, with “silent” organ damage predisposing people to later illness.

The findings are concerning. A rare disease is defined as one case in 2,000 people. If a condition is more common, the volume of patients requires specific health services. The prevalence of 9.2% of all adults in New Zealand is more than a hundred times greater than this threshold.

More than 12 months ago, we published an analysis of long COVID in Aotearoa, New Zealand. We noted it remained a risk following any infection or reinfection and carried an increased risk of sudden death and organ damage. We also noted that vaccination reduces the risk.

The government should establish a coordinated response, including treatment, public health measures, a vaccination programme, a clear information campaign and targeted surveillance. Very little has been instituted. This indifference extends even to the government's own data. Collection for this survey was completed in 2025; however, the findings were only released now following an Official Information Act request.

Inaction is costing us dearly in health and productivity. Long COVID is challenging to treat, but new approaches look promising. Slowing the spread is a feasible goal. Promoting a culture of staying home when sick and improving indoor air quality through ventilation and filtration are highly achievable.

Policymakers and the public are reluctant to speak of COVID in the present tense, but it remains a major infectious disease with wide-ranging impacts. The government must do more to protect the population and limit this social and economic harm.

The Conversation