Health Issues and Immunological Assessment Related to Wuhan's COVID-19 Survivors: A Multicenter Follow-Up Study

Background: Currently, a large number of hospitalized coronavirus infectious disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients have met the clinical discharge criteria and have been discharged. Little is known about the sequelae and herd immunity, two important factors influencing the life quality and safety of COVID-19 survivors.Methods: Discharged COVID-19 patients from four medical facilities in Wuhan, China, were followed in order to record and investigate possible post-COVID-19 sequelae and herd immunity. After hospital discharge, patients reported to Fangcang shelter hospitals for an initial 14-day period of mandatory clinical monitoring. After release from these shelter hospitals, patients returned home for self-quarantine. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used for severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) detection. Colloidal gold-based immunochromatographic strip assay (ICGSA) was used for anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody testing. The data for this study are derived from case reports, medical records, and self-reports.Results: A total of 3,677 COVID-19 survivors [median age = 59 years, interquartile range (IQR) = 47–68, range = 10–98; 55.5% female] who were released from four hospitals in Wuhan, China, between January 18 and March 29, 2020 were followed for a median of 144 days (IQR = 135–157). During follow-up, 976 (26.5%) patients had at least one post-COVID-19 sequela. The incidence of post-COVID-19 sequelae among elderly COVID-19 survivors (age ≥60 years) was slightly increased compared to that of young COVID-19 survivors (age