Medscape When Lucas Denault was first infected with COVID in January 2021 at the age of 15, his symptoms were relatively mild. A high school athlete at the time, the Pennsylvania resident experienced a brief bout of cold-like symptoms, recovered, and resumed his life.
But 3 months later, he was infected a second time, and it hit him harder and lasted longer — his condition became long COVID. “The long COVID symptoms came around early April… I went from 100% to being bedridden in about 2-3 weeks,” Denault recalled. For nearly 2 years, he was plagued by debilitating dizziness, chronic fatigue, and cognitive dysfunction.
Now, a landmark new study reveals that Denault’s experience is more common than previously believed. Children and teens who get COVID a second time face twice the risk for developing long COVID, researchers concluded.