Five years after COVID-19 upended daily life, the virus no longer dominates headlines—but that doesn’t mean its impact has disappeared. Two recent studies led by researchers at Temple University’s Barnett College of Public Health show that while COVID looks different today, it continues to shape health outcomes in lasting ways.

One study, published in the Journal of Infection and Public Health, examined the incidence of long COVID among U.S. children and adults during the Omicron era (2022–2023). Drawing on data from the national Tracking Post-COVID Conditions (Track-PCC) network, the research confirms that long COVID remains a significant and ongoing concern—even as severe cases and deaths have declined.

“COVID-19 isn’t a thing of the past—it is our present and our future,” said Resa M. Jones, chair and associate professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. “The virus continues to evolve, and new variants are more evasive, so a previous infection doesn’t mean you are immune.”

Jones emphasized that the long-term effects of COVID infection are still coming into focus. “The full impact of long COVID isn’t well understood yet,” she said. “However, it is now a prevalent chronic disease, which can affect anyone—and it is particularly concerning for children and younger people who will need to live with the consequences for many years.”

Bari J. Dzomba, associate professor and graduate program director of health informatics in the Department of Health Services Administration and Policy, noted that the Omicron period marked a shift in how people experienced repeated infections—and their ripple effects. “During the COVID Omicron timeframe, people did not yet realize that they could get repeated cases of COVID every 90 days,” she said. “This was also the time when many schools and other entities were shut down or made virtual, and many people did not realize the impacts this had on childcare, learning, working from home with multiple family members fighting for internet bandwidth and quiet space, and other social impacts.”

A second study, published in Annals of Epidemiology, points to a more hopeful takeaway: prevention still works. The research found that school-based infection prevention strategies were associated with reduced COVID-19 and respiratory illness in households.

“The basics still work,” said Kirsten Wiens, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. “Updated vaccines work well at preventing severe illness. Masks are a good tool to prevent spread in crowded indoor spaces where needed, especially for those with underlying conditions. Improving ventilation helps reduce transmission—even just opening windows. Staying home when sick is still important.”

Together, the studies suggest a new reality: COVID may no longer be an emergency, but it remains a condition to manage, with an eye on both everyday prevention and long-term health.