Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionTypes of COVID-19 Long-Term EffectsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentPrognosisCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Definition
Types of COVID-19 Long-Term Effects
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Prognosis
Coping
By the end of November 2023, an estimated 87% of the U.S. population had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies indicating they had been infected with COVID-19.Even for those who recover, SARS-CoV-2 poses serious long-term physical and mental challenges.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 15% of all adults in the U.S. have had COVID-19 symptoms last three or more months after they’ve been infected.
Both people with severe cases of the disease and those who only have mild symptoms can develop long COVID. The prolonged symptoms can vary from person to person. The medical community is continuing to sort out the causes of and risk factors for these long-lasting health issues from COVID-19.
Verywell / Hilary Allison
Since then, many organizations have created their own terms and definitions for the condition.
The following names are used to describe long COVID:Post-COVID-19 conditionChronic COVID-19Long COVIDLong-haul COVIDPost-acute COVID-19Post-acute sequelae of SARS CoV-2 infection (PASC)Long-term effects of COVID
The following names are used to describe long COVID:
CDC Definition
The CDC defines long COVID as a range of new or ongoing symptoms people can experience four or more weeks after first being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19.
WHO Definition
They go on to say that symptoms can be different from those experienced during an acute COVID-19 episode or persist from the initial illness.
How Long Does COVID-19 Last?
The novel coronavirus is a versatile pathogen. It mostly impacts the respiratory system, but as infections have spread, it’s become apparent the virus is capable of wreaking havoc on many other parts of the body.
COVID-19 is known to affect virtually every body system, including:
Since COVID-19 can impact so many parts of the body, it can cause a wide range of symptoms. Long COVID is linked to more than 200 symptoms.
Even after the acute illness has passed, these symptoms can linger, affecting some—or all—of the same body systems. Symptoms can also change or reappear over time.
Breathing and Heart Problems
Neurological Symptoms
Digestive Symptoms
A Third of COVID-19 Patients Experience Lasting Symptoms, Study Finds
Complications
Possible long-term COVID complications include:
Pericarditis and Long COVID Effects on Heart
Experts are still trying to understand why COVID-19 symptoms linger in some people but not in others. One theory hypothesizes that the virus probably remains in some small form in the bodies of those with long COVID. Another theory suggests that the immune systems of those with long COVID continue to overreact even after the infection has passed.
Research also shows that people with pre-existing health conditions (such as COPD and asthma)and those with a previous Epstein-Barr infectionare more likely than others to develop long COVID.
COVID-19 ‘Long-Haulers’ Search for Answers About Chronic Cases
Many with long COVID never had lab confirmation of COVID-19, with only a quarter of respondents in another survey reporting they had tested positive for the disease.This contributed to skepticism that long COVID symptoms are not real, and some have reported their persistent symptoms were not treated seriously.It’s therefore important to speak up and ask your healthcare provider if you suspect you have prolonged symptoms of COVID, even if you have not tested positive before.
There is currently no test to diagnose long-term complications from COVID-19, but blood tests may help diagnose problems from long-term COVID complications.
The following blood tests may be ordered based on the symptoms you have:
Your healthcare provider may also order tests like anelectrocardiogramif there is concern for heart damage from COVID-19 orchest X-raysto monitor for any lung damage. The British Thoracic Society recommends chest X-rays should be done for people with significant respiratory illnesses that have lasted 12 weeks.
Long COVID Doctor Discussion GuideGet our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.Download PDFEmail AddressSign UpThank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.There was an error. Please try again.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
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Just as there is no one way to diagnose long COVID, there is no one treatment that can make all COVID symptoms go away. In some cases, particularly with lung damage, changes may be permanent and require ongoing care. Your healthcare provider may refer you to a respiratory or cardiac specialist after a difficult case of COVID or if there is evidence of permanent damage.
The needs of people facing long COVID complications are vast. People who were critically ill and required mechanical ventilation or dialysis may face ongoing health challenges as they recover. Even people with milder cases can struggle with ongoing fatigue, cough, shortness of breath, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Treatment is centered on the biggest issue you are facing that has the greatest impact on your ability to return to a normal way of life.
Your healthcare provider may recommend or prescribe these medications to support your recovery:
Long COVID problems are also addressed through supportive care. There are a number of things you can do to keep your body strong and healthy as it fights the virus and recovers. These include:
Breathing Exercises For Chronic COVID-19: What They Are and How They Help
Unfortunately, because long-term complications of COVID-19 are so new and research on them is still ongoing, it is difficult to say when ongoing symptoms may resolve and what the outlook looks like for those with long COVID. A majority of people with COVID-19 see their symptoms resolve in a matter of weeks.
For those who have lingering problems that go on for months, there may be permanent damage that results in a chronic health condition. See a healthcare provider if your symptoms last for more than a few weeks, and they will help guide you in managing any ongoing health issues.
Coping with changes from prolonged COVID-19 symptoms may be the most difficult aspect of recovery. For young people who lived an active life, fatigue and a lack of energy can be hard to cope with. For older adults, new problems from COVID-19 could add to a number of existing conditions and make it even more difficult to function independently at home.
Ongoing support from family, friends, community organizations, online groups, and medical professionals can all help you deal with the long-term effects of COVID-19.
Two nonprofit organizations provide support specifically to long COVID:
There are many other financial and healthcare resources available to help people who have been infected with COVID-19, such as Benefits.gov.
A Word From Verywell
COVID-19 has impacted millions of people across the globe, and for some, it has brought new, permanent health challenges. Long COVID symptoms can last for weeks and even months, or the virus could cause permanent damage to organs like your heart and lungs. The emotional toll of new health problems and the stress of quarantining can be difficult to cope with, but know that you are not alone. Family, friends, community services, and healthcare providers can all offer support in dealing with ongoing problems from COVID-19.
The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.2022-2023 Nationwide COVID-19 Infection- and Vaccination-Induced Antibody Seroprevalence (Blood donations).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Long COVID.
Callard F, Perego E.How and why patients made Long Covid.Soc Sci Med. 2021;268:113426. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113426
Munblit D, O’Hara ME, Akrami A, Perego E, Olliaro P, Needham DM.Long COVID: aiming for a consensus.Lancet Respir Med. 2022;10(7):632-634. doi:10.1016/S2213-2600(22)00135-7
Center for Disease Control and Prevention.Long COVID or post-COVID conditions.
World Health Organization.Post COVID-19 condition (Long COVID).
Mokhtari T, Hassani F, Ghaffari N, Ebrahimi B, Yarahmadi A, Hassanzadeh G.COVID-19 and multiorgan failure: A narrative review on potential mechanisms.J Mol Histol. 2020 Oct 4:1-16. doi: 10.1007/s10735-020-09915-3
Davis HE, Assaf GS, McCorkell L, et al.Characterizing long COVID in an international cohort: 7 months of symptoms and their impact.EClinicalMedicine. 2021;38:101019. doi:10.1016/j.eclinm.2021.101019
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Long-Term Effects of COVID-19.
Su Y, Yuan D, Chen DG, et al.Multiple early factors anticipate post-acute COVID-19 sequelae.Cell. 2022;185(5):881-895.e20. doi:10.1016/j.cell.2022.01.014
Subramanian A, Nirantharakumar K, Hughes S, et al.Symptoms and risk factors for long COVID in non-hospitalized adults.Nat Med. 2022;28(8):1706-1714. doi:10.1038/s41591-022-01909-w
Body Politic COVID-19 Support Group.Report: What Does COVID-19 Recovery Actually Look Like?
Rubin R.As Their Numbers Grow, COVID-19 “Long Haulers” Stump Experts.JAMA. 2020 Sep 23. doi: 10.1001/jama.2020.17709
Greenhalgh T, Knight M, A’Court C, Buxton M, Husain L.Management of post-acute covid-19 in primary care.BMJ. 2020 Aug 11;370:m3026. doi: 10.1136/bmj.m3026
Marshall M.The lasting misery of coronavirus long-haulers.Nature. 2020 Sep;585(7825):339-341. doi: 10.1038/d41586-020-02598-6
Bonilla H, Peluso MJ, Rodgers K, et al.Therapeutic trials for long COVID-19: A call to action from the interventions taskforce of the RECOVER initiative.Front Immunol. 2023;14:1129459. Published 2023 Mar 9. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2023.1129459
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) and Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP).COVID-19 Rapid guideline: managing the long-term effects of COVID-19.
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