Long Covid
Many people who have tested positive for coronavirus say Long Covid is “far worse” than the virus itself.
The spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) this year has got us all thinking about how we can protect ourselves. Looking after your mind and body can help your immune system stay strong and function properly.
Your immune system is the system of your body that fights off harmful diseases.
Long COVID is when you’ve had coronavirus (COVID-19) and you still feel unwell more than a month after your first symptoms began.
Here, we explain what we know about long COVID so far and what to do if it’s affecting you.
Long COVID is if you’ve had new or ongoing symptoms four weeks or more after you first had symptoms of coronavirus, and these symptoms can’t be explained by another illness.
There are a lot of symptoms of long COVID which can come and go or change over time.
Some of the main reported symptoms include:
- fatigue (extreme tiredness)
- fever
- brain fog (difficulty concentrating and struggling to think clearly)
- headaches
- sore throat
- cough
- lost sense of taste and/or smell
- chest pain or tightness
- lung problems
- gut problems
- joint and/or muscle pain
- breathlessness
- palpitations (fast heartbeat)
- kidney problems
- skin rashes
- sleep problems
- symptoms of anxiety and depression