• With approval from NHS England, the study analyzed clinical data linked to COVID-19 test results, hospitalizations, and vaccinations.

• The analysis focused on trends in 16 clinical codes related to long COVID from November 2020 to January 2023.

• The research team calculated rates per 100,000 person-years and compared them using statistical models for different demographics and vaccination statuses.

• The study identified 55,465 recorded cases of long COVID, including 20,025 diagnosis codes and 35,440 assessment codes.

• The incidence of new long COVID records has increased throughout 2021 but declined in 2022.

• The long COVID rate was 177.5 cases per 100,000 person-years in women and 100.5 in men.

• The researchers concluded that recorded cases of long COVID were low between 2020 and 2023, with a notable decline in 2022.

• The study highlighted significant limitations in using EHR data to accurately identify and time the long COVID cases, suggesting that current diagnostic and referral codes may not adequately capture the true prevalence of the condition.

• This study underscores the need for improved methods to track and understand long COVID through health records, as current systems may not fully capture the scope of the issue.

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