Long COVID is a trans issue

Did you know that trans people in the U.S. have some of the highest rates of Long COVID and associated conditions (LCAC)?

Learn more through our webinar recording and other resources shared below.

Jump to:

    Long COVID in trans people – resource sheet

    Check out the Long COVID in trans people resource sheet from our Long COVID Essentials series, which can be viewed online or printed. All resources in this series have been reviewed by leading medical experts and are useful for patients, caregivers, and medical providers.

    Detailed overview

    LCAC rates in trans people in the US

    The US Household Pulse study by the Census Bureau is run every three months.  And every single time, except for one tiny blip, trans people have the highest rates of Long COVID and associated diseases:

    Visit the CDC website to view and sort data by various demographics and time periods. Tips on how to view and sort data are here.


    Note: The link above now directs to archived pages, as the CDC has reduced and eliminated much of their COVID and Long COVID data as well as data on gender and sexual orientation. Public health advocates have archived the older CDC site for reference if the CDC removes or alters the archived pages.

    Why are LCAC rates higher in trans people?

    Several major risk factors for LCAC are higher in trans populations, including:

    • Previous chronic illness and disability
    • Socio-economic risk factors:
      • lower income
      • inability to adequately rest in the early weeks after developing COVID
    • “Female” sex (Most studies do not use best practices on gender in research)
    • Epstein Barr virus reactivation (May be higher in people with HIV;  trans people have higher HIV rates
    • Presence of specific autoantibodies
    • Pre-existing conditions:
      • Connective tissue disorders (Example: Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome is more common in “adolescents with gender dysphoria;” source)
      • ADHD (more common in trans people), chronic urticaria and allergic rhinitis
      • ⅓ of people with Long COVID have no identified pre-existing conditions
    • Higher prevalence of Long Covid in certain ethnicities, especially people with Hispanic or Latiné heritage

    List originally compiled by Patient-Led Research Collaborative. Top bullet and italics added by Long COVID Justice.

    Long COVID Is A Trans Issue – webinar

    Video player from the webinar.

    This community webinar opened a space to learn about Long COVID and associated diseases, and to explore why rates are so high in the trans community, how we can take care of ourselves and each other, and why disability justice is essential to trans liberation.

    Data sources and resources from the webinar

    Learn more

    Additional reading

    Funding & support

    This initiative was created as part of our health equity project, the NYC Needs Assessment and Action Plan, which is conducted in partnership with our parent organization Strategies for High Impact. It is funded in part through a generous grant from the New York Health Foundation.

    Questions or suggestions?

    Write [email protected]