Video Transcript (Audio as Text)

What is Long COVID?

After having Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), many people will start to feel better in a few weeks. Unfortunately, some people take longer to get better and others can experience ongoing health challenges. Having continued or new symptoms after COVID-19 infection is now widely recognised. Long COVID is a term used to first describe and make visible the persistence and wide diversity of COVID-19 symptoms, with this term made by communities of people affected. The World Health Organization uses the term Post COVID-19 Conditions to describe Long COVID, and have developed a clinical case definition, which is:

Post COVID-19 condition occurs in individuals with a history of probable or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, usually 3 months from the onset of COVID-19 with symptoms that last for at least 2 months and cannot be explained by an alternative diagnosis. Common symptoms may include fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive dysfunction but also others, and generally have an impact on everyday functioning. Symptoms may be new onset following initial recovery from an acute COVID-19 episode or persist from the initial illness. Symptoms may also fluctuate or relapse over time.

In the next video, we will talk about the learn about the different terminology used to describe the long-term effects of Coronavirus disease.