Health

(NEW YORK) — Updated COVID-19 vaccines will soon be rolled out ahead of the fall and winter season, but some Americans may not easily be able to access them.

In previous years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had a Bridge Access Program, a public-private partnership that provided free COVID-19 vaccines to adults without health insurance and adults whose insurance does not cover all COVID-19 vaccine costs.

As a result of federal funding cuts, however, the program is ending this month.

Americans who are covered by Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance will still receive the updated vaccine at no cost. The 25 to 30 million adults who do not have insurance will have to pay out of pocket to get a shot.

“The timing is really unfortunate, because we don’t yet have the 2024-25 versions of the COVID shots generally available yet, so the Bridge program will end before those are available to uninsured individuals,” Dr. Nathaniel Hupert, an associate professor of population health sciences and of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, told ABC News.

The CDC has allocated $62 million in unused vaccine contract funding for state and local programs to buy COVID vaccines for uninsured and underinsured adults to help broaden access, but details remain scant.

“Yes, there were $62 million unspent funds, but state and local health departments have been depleted since the pandemic,” Dr. Rebecca Weintraub, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and director of Better Evidence at Ariadne Labs, told ABC News. “They don’t have cash reserves to start paying in advance for this type of expensive vaccine.”

Dr. Raynard Washington, public health director of Mecklenburg County in North Carolina, said purchasing enough updated COVID vaccines will be a challenge.

There about 100,000 residents between ages 19 and 64 in Mecklenburg County who are uninsured. There are not enough local resources to purchase an adequate supply of vaccines for all those adults, Washington said.

“Even if 10% of those adults wanted to receive a vaccine or needed to receive a vaccine, that still would be several hundred thousand dollars of cost that we would not be able to be able to carry,” he told ABC News.

Washington said there are still some COVID funds available that will help cover the administration costs. However, the county cannot shoulder all of the costs, he explained.

“We are planning to purchase a limited supply but, again, it won’t be sufficient,” Washington said.

Last year, Pfizer and Moderna indicated the commercial price per dose for its vaccine would be between $110 and $130. This year, prices could be just as much or even higher.

Experts say the current prices are a huge financial burden for many Americans and simply out of reach for many uninsured adults.

“People have to make a choice about whether or not they cover the cost of health care or other basic needs,” Washington said.

For children whose parents or guardians cannot afford vaccine coverage for them, there is the federally funded Vaccines for Children Program, which provides free access to vaccines.

The experts told ABC News there is a need to establish a Vaccine for Adults Program, similar to the federal program available for children. They also recommended a pharmacy discount program to help save on the cost of vaccines for low-income or uninsured residents.

Although the lack of no-cost vaccines will be a barrier, vaccines are among the most effective tools when it comes to protecting against severe illness or hospitalization from COVID, they added.

“It still is the No. 1 best tool we have to keep people safe, healthy and alive,” Washington said. “I would certainly encourage folks — particularly those adults, children and residents who are more medically vulnerable or have underlying health conditions — to make sure that they consider vaccination when the vaccines are available, hopefully in the next several days.”

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(NEW YORK) — A New Hampshire resident died after being infected with a rare mosquito-borne disease, health officials said Tuesday.

The resident, an adult from Hempstead — near the southeastern border with Massachusetts — had tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV). The patient was hospitalized due to severe central nervous system disease and died of their illness, according to an update from the state’s Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS).

This is the first reported human case of EEEV in New Hampshire in a decade after three people contracted the disease in 2014, two of whom died, DHHS said.

It’s unclear when the resident, who recently passed away, first became infected with EEEV. No other details were available including name, age or sex.

In addition to the person infected with EEEV, the virus has also been found in one horse and seven mosquito batches in New Hampshire so far this summer, according to the health department.

Neighboring states have been experiencing similar threats. In Massachusetts, 10 communities were designated as being under high or critical risk of the virus, according to the state’s Department of Public Health. Many of the areas began implementing targeted mosquito spraying to protect residents.

“In New Hampshire, mosquitos transmit infections including Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus, West Nile Virus, and Jamestown Canyon Virus,” Dr. Benjamin Chan, New Hampshire’s state epidemiologist, said in a statement.

“We believe there is an elevated risk for EEEV infections this year in New England given the positive mosquito samples identified. The risk will continue into the fall until there is a hard frost that kills the mosquitos. Everybody should take steps to prevent mosquito bites when they are outdoors,” the statement continued.

EEEV is a rare but serious disease that spreads by bites from infected mosquitoes. It does not spread via touching or droplets from coughing or sneezing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Most people who are infected either show mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. However, severe cases usually begin with fever, headache, chills and vomiting before progressing to encephalitis, which is swelling of the brain, or meningitis, which is swelling of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.

Many survivors have ongoing neurologic problems including convulsions, paralysis and intellectual disability, and about 30% of encephalitis cases from this virus result in death.

There are no human vaccines and no treatments specifically for EEEV. The CDC says rest, fluids and over-the-counter pain medications may help relieve some symptoms.

As of Tuesday, four cases have been reported aside from the New Hampshire case — with one case each in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont and Wisconsin, according to the CDC.

The New Hampshire DHHS said residents can protect themselves by using effective mosquito repellents, wearing long-sleeve shirts and long pants when outside and avoiding outdoor activities when mosquitoes are the most active, including early in the morning and during evening hours.

Additionally, residents are advised to remove standing water from around their homes, which attracts mosquitoes, and to make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens.

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(NEW YORK) — A New Hampshire resident died after being infected with a rare mosquito-borne disease, health officials said Tuesday.

The resident, an adult from Hempstead — near the southeastern border with Massachusetts — had tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus (EEEV). The patient was hospitalized due to severe central nervous system disease and died of their illness, according to an update from the state’s Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS).

This is the first reported human case of EEEV in New Hampshire in a decade after three people contracted the disease in 2014, two of whom died, DHHS said.

It’s unclear when the resident, who recently passed away, first became infected with EEEV. No other details were available including name, age or sex.

In addition to the person infected with EEEV, the virus has also been found in one horse and seven mosquito batches in New Hampshire so far this summer, according to the health department.

Neighboring states have been experiencing similar threats. In Massachusetts, 10 communities were designated as being under high or critical risk of the virus, according to the state’s Department of Public Health. Many of the areas began implementing targeted mosquito spraying to protect residents.

“In New Hampshire, mosquitos transmit infections including Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus, West Nile Virus, and Jamestown Canyon Virus,” Dr. Benjamin Chan, New Hampshire’s state epidemiologist, said in a statement.

“We believe there is an elevated risk for EEEV infections this year in New England given the positive mosquito samples identified. The risk will continue into the fall until there is a hard frost that kills the mosquitos. Everybody should take steps to prevent mosquito bites when they are outdoors,” the statement continued.

EEEV is a rare but serious disease that spreads by bites from infected mosquitoes. It does not spread via touching or droplets from coughing or sneezing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Most people who are infected either show mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. However, severe cases usually begin with fever, headache, chills and vomiting before progressing to encephalitis, which is swelling of the brain, or meningitis, which is swelling of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord.

Many survivors have ongoing neurologic problems including convulsions, paralysis and intellectual disability, and about 30% of encephalitis cases from this virus result in death.

There are no human vaccines and no treatments specifically for EEEV. The CDC says rest, fluids and over-the-counter pain medications may help relieve some symptoms.

As of Tuesday, four cases have been reported aside from the New Hampshire case — with one case each in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Vermont and Wisconsin, according to the CDC.

The New Hampshire DHHS said residents can protect themselves by using effective mosquito repellents, wearing long-sleeve shirts and long pants when outside and avoiding outdoor activities when mosquitoes are the most active, including early in the morning and during evening hours.

Additionally, residents are advised to remove standing water from around their homes, which attracts mosquitoes, and to make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens.

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(NEW YORK) — People who are in need of weight loss medications but do not have insurance coverage will soon have a new way to access one of the popular medications, Zepbound.

Eli Lilly, the maker of Zepbound, announced Tuesday it will begin selling the weight loss drug directly to consumers through the company’s direct pharmacy, LillyDirect.

With a doctors’ prescription, consumers will be able to purchase Zepbound in vial forms that are about half the price of the auto-injector pre-filled pens sold in pharmacies, according to Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks.

A one-month supply of Zepbound at a 2.5-milligram dose will cost $349, while a one-month supply at a 5-milligram dose will cost $549, according to Ricks.

Medical professionals can start filling prescriptions for the Zepbound vials on Tuesday via LillyDirect and the vials will start shipping in the days ahead.

Ricks noted that the new option will be self-pay only and will not participate in insurance.

With insurance coverage, Zepbound can cost as low as $25 per month, but without coverage, the medication can cost more than $1,000 per month.

Consumers who purchase Zepbound through LillyDirect will have access to educational resources on how to administer the medication, according to Ricks.

Zepbound is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a weight loss management treatment for people with obesity or those who are overweight with at least one related underlying condition such as high blood pressure.

However, many private insurers and Medicare do not cover weight loss drugs used for obesity.

Zepbound contains the same active ingredient, tirzepatide, as another medication, Mounjaro, which is also made by Lilly and is FDA-approved to treat Type 2 diabetes.

Tirzepatide works by helping the pancreas increase the production of insulin to move sugar from the blood into body tissues.

It also slows down the movement of food through the stomach and curbs appetite, thereby causing weight loss.

Past clinical studies have shown users of medications used for weight loss like Zepbound and Mounjaro can lose between 5% and 20% of their body weight on the medications over time.

Medical specialists point out that using medication to lose weight also requires cardio and strength training and changing your diet to one that includes proteins and less processed foods with added sugars.

The most commonly reported side effects of medications used for weight loss are nausea and constipation, but gallbladder and pancreatic disease are also reported.

Makers of these drugs recommend having a conversation about the side effect profile and personalized risks with a health care professional before starting.

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(ATLANTA) — The threat of Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus has prompted several Massachusetts towns to implement targeted mosquito spraying to protect residents.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this virus, often called Triple E, is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito and can cause a “rare but severe illness.” Although the number of annual cases is low, the virus can pose a significant health risk.

The CDC says most people infected don’t have any symptoms, but symptoms can range from a febrile illness to more severe neurological problems.

The disease is particularly dangerous if it leads to encephalitis, or inflammation in the brain, with approximately 30% of people with encephalitis dying.

Many survivors experience long-term neurological issues, according to the CDC, which notes there are no human vaccines or specific treatments available, making prevention crucial.

Earlier this month, Massachusetts officials reported the season’s first human case of Triple E, marking the first occurrence in the state since 2020.

There have been three reported human cases of Triple E this year in three states: Massachusetts, New Jersey and Vermont.

Historically, 2019 saw the highest number of human Triple E cases with 38 reported, according to the CDC.

Currently, 10 communities in Massachusetts are under high or critical risk of the virus, according to the state’s Department of Public Health.

High-risk communities include Plymouth, Carver, Middleborough, Dudley, Uxbridge and Northbridge.

Critical-risk communities include Webster, Oxford, Sutton and Douglas.

In response, aerial spraying will be conducted in parts of Plymouth County, while truck-mounted spraying will target areas in Worcester County. The goal by health officials is to mitigate mosquito populations that are the primary spreaders of the virus.

The pesticide used is Anvil 10+10, an Environmental Protection Agency-registered product “extensively tested and used in both ground-level and aerial spraying in the U.S. to control mosquitoes,” according to the Massachusets DPH.

The agency reports that compounds in Anvil 10+10 have proven to be “highly effective in killing mosquitoes” globally for two over two decades.

“Due to the increased EEE risk and the first human case of the season, the state is taking decisive action to protect public health,” Ashley Randle, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources commissioner, said in a press release Saturday.

“Aerial spraying will target mosquitoes carrying the EEE virus. While these measures are crucial for reducing transmission risk, it’s vital for everyone to stay vigilant and follow personal protection guidelines to safeguard our community,” Randle said.

Additionally, officials in Plymouth County announced that as of Friday, Aug. 23, public parks and fields will be closed from dusk to dawn due to the high-risk status of EEE.

The CDC advises individuals to minimize mosquito exposure by using insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants and avoiding outdoor activities during peak mosquito activity times.

Dr. Jade A Cobern, M.D., MPH, a licensed and practicing physician board-certified in pediatrics and preventive medicine, is a medical fellow on the ABC News Medical Unit.

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(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — A judge on Friday temporarily blocked parts of Ohio’s six-week abortion ban.

The Franklin County Court of Common Pleas put a hold on several laws that force abortion patients to wait a minimum of 24 hours after receiving state-mandated information in person before accessing abortion care.

According to the ACLU of Ohio, this is the first ruling on the merits of a ballot measure that amended the Ohio constitution to establish “an individual right to one’s own reproductive medical treatment, including but not limited to abortion.”

Much of the ban was rendered unconstitutional after the amendment went into effect in December 2023, Ohio’s Attorney General Dave Yost, said earlier this year.

Judge David C. Young ruled that the ban’s requirements do not advance patient health and violate the reproductive rights guaranteed by the amendment.

“This is a historic victory for abortion patients and for all Ohio voters who voiced support for the constitutional amendment to protect reproductive freedom and bodily autonomy,” Jessie Hill, cooperating attorney for the ACLU of Ohio. “It’s clear that the newly amended Ohio Constitution works as the voters intend: to protect the fundamental right to abortion and to forbid the state from infringing on it except when necessary to protect the health of a pregnant person.”

The statement continued, “This decision is the first step in removing unnecessary barriers to care. We celebrate this ruling and will push forward to make this injunction permanent.”

In a statement, Bethany McCorkle, the attorney general’s communications director, said the office would be appealing the ruling.

“We have heard the voices of the people and recognize that reproductive rights are now protected in our Constitution,” McCorkle’s statement read. “However, we respectfully disagree with the court’s decision that requiring doctors to obtain informed consent and wait 24 hours prior to an abortion constitute a burden. These are essential safety features designed to ensure that women receive proper care and make voluntary decisions.”

Abortions are now banned at 22 weeks’ gestation or later, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that studies sexual and reproductive rights.

However, lawmakers have tried to maintain other parts of the ban, including reporting requirements and a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion can be administered. Those are challenges that abortion rights supporters say often prevent patients from receiving the procedure at all.

The so-called “heartbeat bill” was signed into law in 2019 by Gov. Mike DeWine and prevents abortions from performed once fetal cardiac activity can be defected, which typically occurs at about six weeks’ gestation — before many women know they’re pregnant.

The ban has no exceptions for rape or incest. The only exceptions are cases of ectopic pregnancies and to prevent the mother’s death or impairment of a major bodily function.

A federal judge blocked the ban in 2019 but it was reinstated just hours after the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe.

In September 2022, an Ohio lower court granted a temporary restraining order before granting a preliminary injunction a few weeks later. In December 2023, the state’s Supreme Court dismissed the state’s appeal and sent the case back to the lower courts.

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022, 14 states have ceased nearly all abortion services, according to an ABC News tally, while three states — Florida, Georgia and South Carolina — all have six-week bans in place.

Following the court’s decision, six states aside from Ohio have had abortion-related questions on the ballot and, each time, voters have sided with abortion rights supporters

In an August 2022 primary, Kansas became the first state to let voters decide on abortion since the Supreme Court’s ruling, and residents struck down a proposal to remove the right to abortion from the state’s constitution.

Three states — California, Michigan and Vermont — voted to strengthen rights and two states — Kentucky and Montana – voted against further limiting rights.

It’s unclear how many states will have abortion-related ballot questions in the November 2024 election but, so far, 10 states have abortion-related state constitutional amendments on the ballot, according to KFF.

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(SILVER SPRING, Md.) — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved and granted emergency use authorization Thursday for updated COVID-19 vaccines for the upcoming fall and winter season.

The FDA said the vaccines will target the KP.2 strain, which is an offshoot of the omicron variant.

The federal health agency said the decision applies to the vaccines manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. No decision has been made on the vaccines from Novavax.

“Vaccination continues to be the cornerstone of COVID-19 prevention,” said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in a statement. “These updated vaccines meet the agency’s rigorous, scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality.”

“Given waning immunity of the population from previous exposure to the virus and from prior vaccination, we strongly encourage those who are eligible to consider receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection against currently circulating variant,” the statement continued.

The CDC previously recommended that everyone ages 6 months and older receive an updated vaccine. The updated vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna will be available for those 6 months old and older

Vaccine manufacturers told ABC News the vaccines are expected to be available in the coming week.

Winter months tend to see an increase of respiratory illness spread, including COVID, flu and RSV. COVID, particularly, typically spikes in the winter and summer months.

“These updated COVID-19 vaccines come at a crucial time as we head into the fall and winter months, when respiratory viruses tend to surge,” said Dr. John Brownstein, an epidemiologist and chief innovation officer at Boston Children’s Hosptial and an ABC News contributor. “By targeting the most currently circulating variants, these vaccines offer us a better chance at reducing severe illness and keeping communities safe.”

The CDC has said that it is safe to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as a flu shot or an RSV vaccine, for those who are being eligible.

Anyone who has recently had COVID, may want to consider delaying getting vaccinated by three months, according to the CDC.

Those who are covered by Medicare, Medicaid or private insurance will receive coverage for the updated vaccines.

In previous years, the CDC had a Bridge Access Program that provided free COVID-19 vaccines to adults without health insurance and adults whose insurance does not cover all COVID-19 vaccine costs. The program is ending in August 2024. It remains unclear what might be available to provide access to this population.

Unvaccinated children from ages 6 months through 4 years are eligible to receive three doses of the Pfizer vaccine or two doses of the Moderna vaccine. Children in this age group who are vaccinated are eligible to receive one or two doses of either vaccine.

Those who are 5 and older, regardless of vaccination status, are eligible to receive a single dose of the updated vaccine. If they have been previously vaccinated, it should be at least two months after the last dose.

The FDA said additional doses are authorized for certain immunocompromised individuals aged 6 months through 11 years.

“It’s important for everyone aged six months and older to consider getting this updated shot. We know that that immunity wanes over time, and staying up to date with vaccinations is the best way to maintain strong protection against COVID-19, especially with new variants emerging,” Brownstein said.

ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.

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(NEW YORK) — The percentage of teenagers who were up to date on their human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines has fallen dramatically since 2020, according to new federal data released Thursday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends children from ages 11 to 12 receive two doses of the HPV vaccine, given six to 12 months apart, although children can get the vaccine starting at age 9.

Anybody under age 26 can get the HPV vaccine if they have not been fully vaccinated, according to the CDC. People ages 15 to 26 years old who have not received the HPV vaccine typically need three doses to be fully vaccinated.

The CDC’s report looked at data from the 2023 National Immunization Survey -Teen, a group of phone surveys used to monitor vaccination coverage among teenagers. Similar ones are conducted for children and adults.

The survey looked at trends in coverage by birth year, and trends in coverage by eligibility for the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, a federally funded program that provides vaccines to children whose parents or guardians may not be able to afford them.

The program found that vaccination coverage for vaccines including tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap), as well as for the meningococcal ACWY vaccine, was generally stable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, there was a notable decrease in the percentage of adolescents who were up to date with HPV vaccination by age 13 among those born in 2010 — who would have turned 13 in 2023 — compared with those born in 2007, who would have turned 13 in 2020.

For teens who were born in 2007, 52.8% of those who were not eligible for VFC were up to date on their HPV vaccines by age 13. By comparison, only 48.7% of non-eligible teens born in 2010 were up to date by age 13.

Among teens born in 2007 who were VFC eligible, 53% were up to date by age 13. However, only 42.7% of eligible teens born in 2010 were up to date by age 13.

“The decline in the percentage of VFC- eligible adolescents who are HPV [up to date] could signal a change in accessibility to vaccination through the VFC program, a change that needs further exploration,” the report read. “This possibility under-scores the importance of ongoing efforts to ensure equitable access to vaccination services for all children and adolescents.”

Overall, 2023 coverage was similar to 2022, with 76.8% of all teens between ages 13 and 17 receiving at least one dose of the HPV vaccine compared to 76.0% in 2022, the report found.

However, only 61.4% of all teenagers in this age group were updated on their HPV vaccines, down from 64.6% in 2022.

HPV is a very common STI that infects about 13 million Americans each year, according to the CDC. Nearly everyone will contract HPV at some point in their lives, the CDC says.

There are more than 100 types of HPV, and most HPV infections clear up on their own within two years.

About 10% of infections last longer and can put individuals at risk for some cancers including cervix, vaginal and vulvar cancer; penile cancer; anal cancer; and oropharyngeal cancer, which is a cancer of the back of the throat, according to the CDC.

Every year, HPV causes about 37,000 cases of cancer in both men and women in the U.S., according to the federal health agency. However, HPV vaccination can prevent more than 90% of HPV cancers when given at the recommended ages, according to the American Cancer Society.

“Health care providers should make strong recommendations for all routine vaccines and verify if adolescents, particularly those eligible for the VFC program, are up to date with all recommended vaccines,” the report stated.

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(NEW YORK) — A new study of common baby foods sampled from grocery stores in the United States found that roughly two-thirds did not meet standards for healthy baby food set by the World Health Organization.

Researchers who led the study, published Wednesday in the journal Nutrients, said parents should be aware that although more convenient, packaged baby food should be eaten in moderation.

When possible financially and practically, kids’ diets should consist of whole foods, including grains, fruits and vegetables.

For the study, researchers looked at data on more than 600 infant and toddler food products sold in the top 10 grocery store chains in the U.S.

The products analyzed are intended for children ages 6 to 36 months, according to the study.

Of the more than 600 products, 70% did not meet protein requirements set by the WHO, and 25% failed to meet calorie recommendations.

When it came to sugar content, 44% of products exceeded sugar requirements and 74% contained added sugar or sweeteners, according to the study.

In addition, the study found that all of the products had at least one claim on their packaging that did not meet WHO standards.

Products that came in snack-size packaging were found by researchers to have the lowest nutritional compliance.

“These findings highlight that urgent work is needed to improve the nutritional quality of commercially produced infant and toddler foods in the United States,” the researchers wrote.

Emphasis on fresh, whole foods for kids

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that caregivers start to introduce solid foods to infants around 6 months of age.

Infants and toddlers should have no added sugars in their diets, including in drinks, according to the USDA.

As with adults, it’s important that kids eat a variety of foods, with an emphasis on foods that are non-processed.

For grains, the USDA recommends that parents and caregivers look closely at ingredient lists for words like “whole wheat flour” and “whole grain.”

Vegetables are important to vary and can be served to toddlers and infants in a variety of ways, including roasted, steamed or mashed, according to the USDA.

Fruits can be served to infants and toddlers fresh, frozen or canned, but should also include no added sugar, according to the USDA.

USDA guidelines also say foods high in sodium should be limited for infants and toddlers.

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(NEW YORK) — Children with long COVID-19 may show different symptoms depending on their age, a new study suggests.

The study, published Wednesday in the journal JAMA, is the first looking at how long COVID affects children and teens from the National Institute of Health (NIH)-funded RECOVER initiative, which seeks to better understand, diagnose, prevent and treat the condition.

Among younger children, between ages 6 and 11, headache was the primary symptom followed by trouble with memory, focus and sleep, as well as stomach pain.

Teens and pre-teens between ages 12 and 17 tended to report more fatigue-related symptoms, such as daytime sleepiness or low energy, body aches and pains, and neurological symptoms, including headaches and difficulty with memory and focus. This age group was also more likely to experience changes in taste or smell.

“We really wanted to understand how does long COVID look different across the ages?” Dr. Rachel Gross, lead study author and a general pediatrician and clinical researcher at NYU Langone Health, told ABC News.

Study participants were recruited from more than 60 U.S. health care and community settings between March 2022 and December 2023, with children between ages 6 and 17 with and without previous COVID-19 infection.

“We know that children are changing over time, we know that they’re growing over time, that they’re developing, that their immune system may be changing, that their hormones may be changing. So, we weren’t surprised that we were seeing differences across these different age groups,” Gross said. “But next steps, we really need to understand why this is happening so we can understand the underlying mechanisms that may be related to these differences.”

Gross said most of what researchers know about long COVID comes from studies of adults, and this is one of the first studies to characterize what prolonged symptoms children may be experiencing. She said much more long COVID research needs to focus on children.

“There have been many misperceptions about COVID and children, even since the beginning of the pandemic,” she said. “There was a common misperception that children didn’t get COVID infections, and we know that’s not true. And now there’s a common misperception that children don’t develop long COVID, and we know from studies like this and others that that is not true, and that long COVID in children is not a rare condition.”

‘I can’t figure out what’s wrong’

Gabrielle “Gabby” Jospa, from Plainview, New York, is one of many children who knows all too well that children can, and do, develop long COVID.

The now 15-year-old contracted COVID-19 in December 2021. At first, she thought it was just a cold or a less severe virus. However, she developed severe symptoms including a high fever, fast heart rate, nausea, body aches, stomachache and falling oxygen levels that required a visit to the emergency room, Gabby told ABC News.

Once the initial symptoms were gone, there were many lingering after-effects. Gabby’s pulse and oxygen levels improved but not to where they were pre-COVID, according to her mother, Amy Jospa, and they knew something was wrong.

Gabby started experiencing fatigue and brain fog, and developed swollen joints, unexplained rashes and even postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), a condition that causes the heart to beat faster than normal when transitioning from sitting or lying down to standing, Amy Jospa told ABC News.

Gabby also has a history of migraines, experiencing them about once a year, but they worsened after COVID-19 to once per week and then once per day. They visited several doctors, none of whom could figure out what was wrong.

“The doctors will just tell you like — and it’s not the doctor’s fault — ‘Oh, it’s just a cold’ or ‘Oh, I’ll just give you headache medicine’ but it doesn’t go away, and you’re starting to feel after a while, after seeing a million doctors, like ‘I can’t figure out what’s wrong with me. It’s hopeless,'” Gabby told ABC News.

In September 2023, with some help from Gabby’s cardiologist getting her the right series of tests, Gabby was diagnosed with long COVID. Gabby said she was “excited” more than upset to finally have a proper diagnosis.

Gabby and her mother tried to enroll in several long COVID studies at hospitals but she was rejected before she was accepted into the RECOVER study at NYU Langone, and had her first in-person visit in November 2023.

They say the RECOVER study has been helpful in terms of helping Gabby improve and better manage her long COVID symptoms.

“The RECOVER study also doesn’t include just medical testing,” Amy Jospa said. “They do cognitive testing on her, and it’s helped Gabby feel more normal and less stigmatized about the process, because she’s not the only one with brain fog. Like, ‘I have this; it stinks, but I’m not alone, and there are people who are working really hard to figure this out and get me to where I need to be.’ It’s like positive change, and I think that’s been the nicest part, seeing the shift mentally for her.”

Gabby and her mother say she’s still not 100% back to where she was before COVID. Before contracting COVID, Gabby, who swims competitively, used to be able to swim for 45 minutes straight. Now, she physically exhausts more easily so she needs breaks.

Amy Jospa said they made modifications to Gabby’s gym schedule at school and that Gabby has more time between classes because she can’t rush in the hallways between classes.

“I still manage, even though there are struggles,” Gabby said. “I managed to find a way to make it work so I can keep going mentally as well as physically.”

ABC News’ Dr. Kierstin Luber contributed to this report.

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