One Year After Mild COVID-19: Emotional Distress but Preserved Cognition in Healthcare Workers

Background/Objectives: Although COVID-19 may cause cognitive impairments for up to six months, the long-term effects of mild cases remain unclear. Given their high exposure and critical role in public health, assessing this impact on healthcare workers is essential. Aim: This study examined the cognitive and emotional effects of mild COVID-19 in 92 healthcare workers one year after infection. Methods: Fifty had experienced mild COVID-19, while 42 had not been infected. Participants completed a neuropsychological assessment evaluating attention, memory, and executive functions, along with self-reported measures of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress, occupational stress, and burnout. Results: No significant cognitive differences were observed between groups. However, both exhibited moderate to severe psychological distress, with the COVID-19 group showing higher trait anxiety. Emotional symptoms were significantly associated with neuropsychological performance: higher burnout and stress correlated with more errors and slower responses on tasks such as the D2 variance index, TESEN, Rey-Osterrieth Figure, and Digit Span. Conclusions: These findings suggest no long-term cognitive impairment after mild COVID-19 but highlight the substantial emotional toll of the pandemic on healthcare workers. Future research should explore cognitive reserve as a protective factor.