STUDY AIMS: The initial prevalence estimates of long COVID exhibited significant heterogeneity. In Switzerland, early findings estimated a 39–53% prevalence of long COVID symptoms among adult patients who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. However, studies conducted in a primary care setting suggested a significantly lower burden of care, with long COVID accounting for less than 1% of family medicine consultations. The objective of this study was to estimate the incidence of long COVID-related consultations in Swiss family medicine practices, in order to guide health services planning.

METHODS: This repeat cross-sectional study was conducted using the data collected by family physicians (general internists and paediatricians) within the Swiss Sentinella network, part of the epidemiological surveillance system managed by the Federal Office of Public Health. Data was collected between August 2021 and April 2023 via monthly reports of doctors’ activity over the past four weeks. Long COVID-related consultations were defined as visits where physicians recorded symptoms or conditions linked to post-acute SARS-CoV-2 effects, based on clinical definitions at the time. Doctor characteristics were measured and analysed for associations with monthly median incidence rates of long COVID-related consultations.

RESULTS: 181 family practices provided data for at least one month during the study (154 general internists and 27 paediatricians): 85% of doctors were general internists, 32% were women and 74% worked in an urban area. The median incidence of monthly long COVID-related consultations was 3/1000 consultations for general internists and 0/1000 consultations for paediatricians. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression showed that internists were significantly more likely to report long COVID-related consultations compared to paediatricians. Also, physicians in central Switzerland were more likely to have a higher median incidence of long COVID-related consultations in comparison to those in other regions.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that the incidence of long COVID-related consultations in Swiss family medicine is markedly lower than expected, considering the estimated prevalence of long COVID post-SARS-CoV-2 infection. This discrepancy may result from potential biases in earlier studies, epidemiological variations and diagnostic challenges. These findings underscore the need for improved diagnostic criteria and enhanced support for primary care providers in recognising long COVID and facilitating referrals for more severely affected patients.