“…The following variables reported at T1 were used as covariates: sex (male, female, others)[54,55], age group (20–29, 30–39, 40–49, 50–59, ≥ 60)[54,55], income level (< Japanese yen [JPY] 3,000,000, < JPY 10,000,000, ≥ JPY 10,000,000, unknown or refuse to respond)[56,57], the presence of psychiatric history (yes, no)[24,54,55], hospitalized (yes, no)[54,58], and the presence of acute symptoms (yes, no)[55,58]. We also adjusted for BMI[48,54,59] and pre-existing comorbidities, including respiratory diseases (COPD, asthma, bronchitis, and pneumonia)[54,55,60], hypertension[55,61,62], diabetes[48,59,63], and cardiac diseases (angina and myocardial infarction)[48,64]. These pre-existing comorbidities were identified as those who selected options other than “Nothing before” or “Never,” “Yes, in the past,” “Yes, currently (in hospitals),” and “Yes, currently (not in hospitals)” to the question about above comorbidities.…”