The CDC explains: “People with post-Covid conditions can have a wide range of symptoms that can last more than four weeks or even months after infection. Sometimes the symptoms can even go away or come back again.” Fortunately, the organisation says most people’s symptoms slowly improve with time. The NHS notes that how long it takes to recover from COVID-19 is different for everybody, but many people feel better in a few days or weeks.
The CDC also says for some people, post-Covid conditions may last months, and potentially years, after COVID-19 illness and may sometimes result in disability.
It says some of the signs people who experience post-Covid conditions most commonly report include:
- Tiredness or fatigue that interferes with daily life
- Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental effort
- Fever
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Cough
- Chest pain
- Difficulty thinking or concentrating
- Headache
- Sleep problems.
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The NHS notes that how long it takes to recover from COVID-19 is different for everybody, but many people feel better in a few days or weeks.
The health body explains that the chances of having long-term symptoms does not seem to be linked to how ill you are when you first get COVID-19, as “people who had mild symptoms at first can still have long-term problems”.
The NHS advice on long Covid says people who are recovering from an illness often report feeling a little better each day, and it can take time to fully recover.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) adds: “There isn’t one single test to diagnose long Covid. It’s a condition that isn’t fully understood yet.”
It adds: “Speak to your doctor if you are experiencing lasting long Covid symptoms. They may refer you for tests to help understand how long Covid is affecting you and how it can be treated. Or it may even be that there is another cause for your symptoms.”
The organisation says the ONS estimates that 1.3 million people in the UK were experiencing long Covid symptoms as of 2 January 2022. This was defined as symptoms that had lasted more than four weeks from the initial infection. It notes this amounts to just over one in 50 of the population.
The NHS says if you have COVID-19, you can pass on the virus to other people for up to 10 days from when your infection starts.
Many people will no longer be infectious to others after five days, it adds.
The NHS says in December 2020, NHS England announced the launch of Post Covid clinics.
The health body says: “The clinics bring together a wide range of healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists to offer both physical, psychological and rehabilitation needs assessments.
“The Post Covid clinics aim to bring a more holistic diagnostic picture of long Covid.”
The health body says if you have mental health symptoms, such as anxiety or depression, you may be referred to additional local services for specialist mental health assessment and support.
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