What are the symptoms of 'Long Covid'?
With up to 60,000 people across the UK reporting that they are still suffering from Covid-19 symptoms after more than three months, it’s no surprise that the Royal College of GPs is calling for a national network of “post-Covid” clinics.
As the longer-term health impacts become more apparent, “long Covid”, has become the term used to describe patients still dealing with lingering symptoms.
What is "long Covid"?
Also known as “long-tail Covid” or “long-haul Covid”, we’re now seeing that the recovery time varies from person to person, based on age, vulnerability and even ethnicity.
For mild cases who have not been hospitalised, the recovery time is approximately two weeks. But for those who were more seriously affected, recovery can take from anywhere from three weeks to a year. Longer-term effects are still not yet known.
How to spot it?
A new app-based Covid symptom study launched on 24 March 2020, asking users to record their symptoms daily.
Run by Tim Spector, a professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London, it initially recruited around 5,000 twins and their families from the TwinsUK cohort study to trial the app. It is now widely used by the general public with millions logging daily.
According to Prof Spector around 300,000 people contributing to the app have reported symptoms lasting for more than four weeks.
What are the signs and symptoms?
The signs of “long Covid” seem to vary from person to person, however, the majority of cases have reported some of these symptoms:
A continuous loss of smell. When contracting the virus for the first time you can experience a change in your sense of taste and smell. But if this continues after the recommended recovery period, this could be a sign.
Chronic fatigue. Those with “long Covid” often find that they continue to experience moments of extreme exhaustion. This sometimes comes with hot flushes or nauseousness which can make it difficult to sleep.
Shortness of breath. This feeling of tightness in your lungs is often complained about. This means you could be finding it difficult to take deep breaths, feel winded, or have trouble walking upstairs.
Muscle aches. Along with muscle tightness, some people have also experienced joint aches and pains around their body
Brain fog. A persistent inability to concentrate
