Prevalence of Post-Coronavirus Disease Condition 12 Weeks After Omicron Infection Compared With Negative Controls and Association With Vaccination Status

Abstract Background Post-coronovirus disease (COVID) symptoms can persist several months after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Little is known, however, about the prevalence of post-COVID condition following infections from Omicron variants and how this varies according to vaccination status. This study evaluates the prevalence of symptoms and functional impairment 12 weeks after an infection by Omicron variants (BA.1 and BA.2) compared with negative controls tested during the same period. Methods Outpatient individuals who tested positive or negative for COVID-19 infection between December 2021 and February 2022 at the Geneva University Hospitals were followed 12 weeks after their test date. Results Overall, 11.7% of Omicron cases had symptoms 12 weeks after the infection compared with 10.4% of individuals who tested negative during the same period (P < .001), and symptoms were much less common in vaccinated versus nonvaccinated individuals with Omicron infection (9.7% vs 18.1%; P < .001). There were no significant differences in functional impairment at 12 weeks between Omicron cases and negative controls, even after adjusting for multiple potential confounders. Conclusions The differential prevalence of post-COVID symptoms and functional impairment attributed to Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 infection is low when compared with negative controls. Vaccination is associated with lower prevalence of post-COVID symptoms. In this prospective survey-based study, the prevalence of post-COVID symptoms at 12 weeks was only slightly higher in outpatients with Omicron infection versus PCR-negative controls (11.7% vs 10.4%). Vaccination was associated with a lower prevalence of post-COVID symptoms.