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.
Verywell / Hilary Allison
Definition
The term “long COVID” came from the patient community.
Verywell / Hilary Allison
It was coined by archeologist Elisa Perego as a Twitter hashtag to describe her experience with the virus.
Since then, many organizations have created their own terms and definitions for the condition.
Types of COVID-19 Long-Term Effects
The novel coronavirus is a versatile pathogen.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Long COVID is linked to more than 200 symptoms.
Symptoms can also change or reappear over time.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
In some cases, particularly with lung damage, changes may be permanent and require ongoing care.
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.
A majority of people with COVID-19 see their symptoms resolve in a matter of weeks.
Coping
Coping with changes from prolonged COVID-19 symptoms may be the most difficult aspect of recovery.
For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.
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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.
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Rubin R.As Their Numbers Grow, COVID-19 “Long Haulers” Stump Experts.JAMA.
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doi: 10.1136/bmj.m3026
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World Health Organization.A clinical case definition of post COVID-19 condition by a Delphi consensus.
