Teens and children were less vulnerable to life-threatening COVID-19 infections during the global pandemic, from 2020 to 2023 — but they aren’t immune to the disease or to long COVID, illness after the initial infection that can last for weeks, months or longer. A new study of nearly 500,000 people younger than 21 found that those who contracted COVID a second time were twice as likely to develop long COVID as after a first infection.

While fewer long COVID cases are being seen today, they are still emerging. One more reason to avoid infection, and consider the vaccine, at any age.

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