Health Care Utilization in the 6 Months Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection

This study analyzed health care utilization in 127,859 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to an equal number of matched controls, revealing a 4% increase in health care use among those with positive results. Key post-COVID conditions included alopecia, bronchitis, pulmonary embolism, and dyspnea, with alopecia notably persisting up to 6 months. The study found an additional 213 health care visits per 1,000 patients, totaling over 27,200 excess visits, indicating a significant strain on health care resources. It emphasized the need for strategic health care planning to manage the long-term impacts of COVID-19, highlighting differences in post-COVID condition patterns between adults and children. Limitations included a 6-month follow-up period and potential underestimation of conditions due to survival bias.