What question did this study set out to answer?

Assess the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on medically vulnerable populations and identify data gaps in post-pandemic care.

January 14, 2026Open Forum Infectious Diseases0 citationsOpen Access

Attitudes about COVID and Community Engagement with Patients (ACCEPt): Global Survey Reveals the Ongoing Impact of Long COVID-19 on Medically Vulnerable Populations, Five Years On

RPRoger ParedesHospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol JBJennifer BodiePfizer (United States)NBNikola BrigdenInstitute for Community Living

Key Points

Assess the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on medically vulnerable populations and identify data gaps in post-pandemic care.
Administered an online survey with 41 questions to adults with risk factors for severe COVID-19.
Survey included responses from individuals in the United States, Spain, Germany, Australia, and Canada.
Analyzed self-reported symptoms of Long COVID and their effects on daily life and general health.
20.8% of 2500 respondents reported Long COVID symptoms, with 42.1% experiencing symptoms for over one year.
90.0% of respondents with Long COVID reported moderate to significant impacts on daily life.
62.9% were not offered antiviral treatment during recent acute COVID-19 illness.

Abstract

Abstract Background COVID-19 continues to disproportionately impact medically vulnerable populations. To assess COVID-19’s ongoing burden on these individuals and address data gaps in post-pandemic care, the COVID Community Council (The Council), eight global representatives from medically vulnerable patient organizations, co-created the ‘Attitudes about COVID and Community Engagement with Patients’ (ACCEPt) survey. Comparison of survey responses between baseline and Long COVID populations Prevalence of reported Long COVID symptoms among respondents (n=520) Methods The survey included adults with risk factors for progression to severe COVID-19 and self-reported COVID-19 diagnosis since January 2022 (irrespective of previous diagnoses) from the United States, Spain, Germany, Australia, and Canada. The 41-question online survey assessed knowledge, attitudes, and practices across several domains, including Long COVID symptoms (defined here as persistent symptoms lasting for 3 months). Self-reported responses were analyzed using descriptive summary statistics. Correlation between Long COVID symptom impact on daily life and self-reported general health (n=520) Reported duration of Long COVID symptoms by number of respondents (n=520) Results Of 2500 respondents, 20.8% reported Long COVID symptoms, of whom 42.1% endured symptoms 1 year and 22.9% for 2 years. Of those with Long COVID symptoms, most (90.0%) reported moderate to significant impact on daily life, with 85.4% and 67.7% agreeing that COVID-19 had worsened their physical and mental health, respectively. All respondents in “very bad” general health noted a significant daily impact vs 33.3% in "very good" health. While most were vaccinated against COVID-19 (92.7%), 29.3% had not received a vaccine dose in 2 years. Despite meeting survey inclusion criteria for risk factors for severe COVID-19, 31.9% did not consider themselves high-risk. 62.9% were not offered antiviral treatment during their most recent acute COVID-19 illness. Only 48.3% of those with Long COVID symptoms were diagnosed with Long COVID, and many (44.8%) received less than moderate support from friends, family, and caregivers. Further, of the 76.9% who consulted a healthcare provider (HCP), 41.3% noted receiving less than moderate support. Conclusion Over 1 in 5 medically vulnerable individuals globally face ongoing effects of COVID-19, often with limited support. Self-reported findings from respondents of this survey highlight the urgent need for improved HCP education and support systems for Long COVID in these populations. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

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