Today (15 March) is International Long COVID Awareness Day. Now in its second year, the campaign aims to raise awareness of the symptoms of Long COVID, and the NHS support available to those suffering from the condition.
Although most people with COVID-19 feel better within a few days or weeks of their first symptoms and make a full recovery within 12 weeks, for some, symptoms can last longer – this is called Long COVID.
The most common symptoms of Long COVID are:
- extreme tiredness (fatigue)
- feeling short of breath
- loss of smell or taste
- muscle aches
However, there are lots of symptoms you can have after a COVID-19 infection, including:
- problems with your memory and concentration (brain fog)
- chest pain or tightness
- a high temperature
- feeling sick
- a high temperature, cough, headaches, sore throat
If you’ve had symptoms of COVID-19 for four weeks or more, contact your GP practice. Your GP may refer you to a specialist or rehabilitation service, such as our Post-COVID Syndrome Assessment Service, which provides a rehabilitation service to support and manage the symptoms associated with Post-Covid Syndrome. Its multidisciplinary team is made up of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, a GP and health practitioner support, who provide support via individual and group care to teach strategies to manage fatigue, stress, sleep, breathlessness, vocational rehabilitation, nutrition, brain fog and dysautonomia (general term for disorders that disrupt your autonomic nervous system).
To find out more about the Post-COVID Syndrome Service visit: Post Covid Syndrome > Glos Health & Care NHS Foundation Trust (ghc.nhs.uk)
