A Scottish study of COVID-19 recovery following mild infection

Sculthorpe N. F. et al., (2025) summarised by Graciela Maitland

Introduction

This research tracked the symptoms of COVID-19 survivors for nine months using a mobile health app. It focused on: symptoms after infection; how common ongoing symptoms are, and which symptoms are typical during recovery; how gender and age affect recovery. The study had 287 participants who used an app called ‘Tracking Persistent Symptoms in Scotland (TraPSS)’. It assessed COVID-19 symptoms, general health, and cognitive function. After nine months it showed that 3.1% of the participants had symptoms consistent with Long Covid.

Summary

In this study, over half of the participants had no symptoms or recovered quickly. Patients who were not hospitalised recovered at higher rates than those who were hospitalised. Around a third of the participants self-reported being fully recovered within one month, which increased to three-quarters by three months. However, around a quarter had symptoms that suggest Long Covid, which typically refers to symptoms that persist for four to twelve weeks after initial infection. Previous studies indicated approximately 13% of individuals in the community experience Long Covid, increasing up to 71% for hospitalised patients. Additionally, nearly 20% of patients discharged from hospital encounter new health issues within 30 days. Common initial symptoms included fatigue, cough, and muscle pain, with fatigue lasting the longest. Older individuals were more likely to report pain and cognitive impairment, while females had increased chances of experiencing headaches and post-exertional malaise (PEM). The study found that 20% of people experience symptoms six months after COVID-19, reducing to 3.1% at nine months. While most recover from the acute phase, recovery speed varies by age and gender. Fatigue is the most common long-lasting symptom, with males recovering faster than females. Those with Long Covid managed mobility and self-care but often dealt with cognitive issues, anxiety, pain and breathlessness, which decreased over time. Overall, recovery from COVID-19 is generally much longer than from other viral infections.

Conclusion

This study concluded that between 3% and 40% of individuals had Long Covid, with approximately 3.1% continuing to experience symptoms nine months later. This indicates that over 170,000 people in Scotland may require ongoing healthcare. The recovery period from COVID-19 varied based on the duration since the initial infection. People may also experience symptoms and recover at different speeds depending on their age and gender. Healthcare providers need to understand the complexities of Long Covid and patients’ experiences for effective treatment. The financial impact of these issues is also essential to consider. Future research should identify what increases the risk of Long Covid, looking into pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical treatments.

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