Long COVID: What you need to know

What is long COVID?

Long COVID is a condition that has emerged since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. It's currently thought to be an extended period of COVID-19 symptoms that continue well beyond the expected 4 weeks to a full recovery. As it is still a very new condition, research is ongoing to better understand it and support people experiencing prolonged symptoms.

What are the symptoms of long COVID?

The symptoms of long COVID can vary from person to person. The NHS describes a range of symptoms and includes the following as the most common:

• Prolonged, intense tiredness (fatigue)

• Shortness of breath

• Aching muscles

• Loss of smell

Other symptoms that have been reported by people more than 4 weeks after their initial infection include:

• Sleep issues

• Difficulty concentrating and retaining information

• Tightness and pain in the chest

• Dizziness

• Heart palpitations

• A tingling sensation in the hands and feet (pins and needles)

• Painful joints

• Pressure and ringing in the ears (tinnitus)

• Nausea, tummy ache, and a decreased appetite

• A loss of, or change to the sense of taste and smell

How long does long COVID last?

Because long COVID is still being researched, there's no definitive recovery time for the condition. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has however published recent data that gives an idea of recovery times for UK residents self-reporting symptoms of long COVID. Of the 1.9million people who provided information about their long COVID experiences:

• 92% reported that their symptoms were present 12 weeks after suspecting they'd first contracted COVID-19

• 69% still had symptoms 12 months later

• Over one-third (41%) confirmed they were still experiencing symptoms after 2 years of contracting COVID-19

As this data suggests, the duration of long COVID symptoms varies from person to person, and more research is needed to understand trends and common links that could make certain groups more susceptible to long COVID.

Can I treat long COVID?

While there isn’t a cure for the condition, there are steps you can take to help prevent the spread of the virus that can lead to long COVID. These include good hand hygiene (regular hand washing and/or using a hand sanitiser) and keeping communal surfaces clean in your home and workplace, especially high-touch areas like door handles and light switches.

If you do contract COVID-19, get plenty of rest, make sure you're drinking plenty of fluids, and ease symptoms using cold, cough, and flu medicines. Most people with COVID feel better after a few days, but if you notice your symptoms lasting beyond a few weeks, have a look at what you can do to minimise their impact on your day-to-day life. The NHS offers a comprehensive COVID-19 recovery guide that looks at long COVID symptoms in detail. It provides practical tips for managing physical and mental symptoms such as fatigue, low mood, and issues with concentration. The guide also advises when to contact your GP for additional support.

Due to the rapidly evolving nature of medical knowledge surrounding COVID-19, readers are encouraged to stay updated with the latest information from reliable sources, such as official health agencies and medical experts.

Full details of the data from the ONS long COVID prevalence study can be found here.