Symptom profiles and vaccination status for COVID‐19 after the adjustment of the dynamic zero‐COVID policy in China: An observational study

Abstract

AbstractThere has been a substantial rise in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) cases after adjusting the dynamic zero‐COVID policy in China. We conducted a survey to investigate the self‐perceived symptom profile and its association with vaccination status during this outbreak. There were 552 individuals in this survey. The infected individuals displayed various symptoms associated with different factors. The three most common symptoms were fatigue (92.21%), phlegm (91.49%), and cough (89.31%). Two typical clusters of COVID‐19 symptoms were identified through hierarchical clustering: one was the symptoms with a high probability of co‐occurrence that primarily involved the upper respiratory tract, and the other was the symptoms with a high prevalence of severe cases that affected multiple systems. Symptoms exhibited distinct across regions. Hebei Province reported the most severe respiratory symptoms, and Chongqing City reported the worst neurological and digestive symptoms. Cough and fatigue occurred together in most regions. Nevertheless, the cough severity of Zhejiang, Liaoning, and Yunnan provinces was lower than in other areas (t‐test p < 0.001). Regression analysis suggested a potential protective effect of recent vaccination on some symptoms. Compared with people who had been vaccinated within half a year, those for more than 1 year had a higher risk of developing phlegm, cough, vertigo, and nausea (all p < 0.05). Our study illustrated the characteristics and symptom profiles of COVID‐19 during this wave and provided data supporting its relationship with multiple factors. These findings offered new insights into the recent COVID‐19 pandemic in China.