I don't believe there's any studies on that. The virus was only discovered at the beginning of December.

Most likely they are referencing this study showing 40% of people who had SARS had long lasting effects https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullar...

While COVID-19 mutated from SARS it has a number of characteristics that are different so I don't think it's reasonably to assume it'd be the same. Could be worst or better.

See page 175 of the WHO report on SARS: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/207501/9290...

Many survivors end up with "honeycomb" patterns in their lungs because the immune system response blew holes in alveoli, which then merged together as they healed.

A recent study on the novel coronavirus found that 14% of patients ended up with this honeycomb pattern as well. (They call it "ground glass opacity".) https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6...

is it worth waiting for definitive proof? there are plenty of CT scans out there showing damage. i am not aware of a nicely written trusted source for it. at this point it's not an unreasonable model to assume, and avoid it. if everyone wants to avoid this, and changes behavior now, we will all be safer.