Long-term COVID-effects affect well-educated women in particular, according to Danish study

The corona pandemic isn’t over for many Danes. According to a study co-authored by Central Denmark Region and Aarhus University Hospital, 448 patients are still receiving treatment for long-COVID complications at the city’s biggest hospital.

More than 75 percent are women aged 30-70. The majority report being dogged by mental fatigue and it is impacting their ability to function.

Particularly well-educated women
Not only that, but many are well-educated women, according to the study’s lead author Lisa Gregersen Østergaard, a who is an occupational therapist.

“What we can see is that we have a preponderance of women who have a high level of education and who are affected to that extent in their everyday lives.

“We don’t know why it is especially women. But we can see that it is largely women in their mid-40s. These are women who are doing well in their careers, and many of them also have children living at home. So it is women who are in a place in life where a lot happens.”

Dizziness and memory issues
“There were a lot of things I couldn’t remember; I couldn’t keep up with an ordinary conversation. I had to ask people to speak very slowly, otherwise I would get dizzy,” PhD student Lise Houe, a 36-year-old mother of two children, who was infected in January 2022, told DR.

“It was as if my brain couldn’t keep up with my surroundings. I have been extremely sensitive to light and sound and general stimuli.”

Nearly 10 percent of the population got late complications
Houe is now on the road to recovery after almost a year of symptoms, and it is estimated that a lot of Danes have been, or still are, struggling with late complications.

The Sundhedsstyrelsen health authority and WHO estimate that about 10 percent of people who contract corona suffer from long-term effects. Normally, they need at least six months to make a full recovery.

However, there is optimism among health professionals that the number of sufferers will fall.




  • Tunø: An island running out of time

    Tunø: An island running out of time

    The island of Tunø harbors a community of 74 adults and one child. There are no cars and only one connection to the rest of the world. Now, climate change threatens it

  • Cross-border moves on the rise in the Øresund region

    Cross-border moves on the rise in the Øresund region

    The number of relocations across the Øresund Region is rising. As highlighted by 2023 numbers, Sweden benefits from a growing interest, especially among younger generations.

  • In conversation with Conrad Molden: The man behind the mic

    In conversation with Conrad Molden: The man behind the mic

    He’s tickled our funny bone with countless wisecracks and clever wordplay, and in the process, made Denmark feel a little more personable to many expats. An international import himself, funny man Conrad Molden has successfully carved out a niche for himself on the Danish stand-up scene, but it’s taken a solid 13 years, much trial and error, and heaps of Danglish

  • Here Comes The Sun…

    Here Comes The Sun…

    I escaped from Denmark this winter to the south of France, where I was convinced that the sunshine would inspire me to write this year’s Crazy Christmas comedy show.

  • Volunteer Night 2025: when volunteering rhymes with integrating

    Volunteer Night 2025: when volunteering rhymes with integrating

    On Wednesday, April 30, from 17:00 to 20:00, Studenterhuset will host Volunteer Night 2025, a free event organized by the organization International House Copenhagen, which goal is to ease the relocation process for newcomers in Denmark

  • The international who shaped Copenhagen

    The international who shaped Copenhagen

    Anna Maria Indrio is one of the most important architects in Denmark, having contributed to shaping Copenhagen into what it is today. Among her best-known projects are the extension of SMK and Arken, as well as the Natural History Museum and the Darwin Centre in London. She moved here 60 years ago, when “Copenhagen was gray and dormant. Predictions suggested it would become depopulated. But putting people at the center changed everything,” she said

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.