As the numbers of individuals contracting the coronavirus continue to seesaw back and forth, one aspect of this terrible illness remains the unpleasant and long-lasting affliction known as long COVID.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most people with COVID-19 get better within weeks of illness, but others experience post-COVID conditions, which may add up to a variety of symptoms people can experience for as long as a month or perhaps much longer. Some of those symptoms include fatigue, problems with memory and thinking, loss of taste and smell, shortness of breath, insomnia, anxiety and depression.
Although some or all of these symptoms may first appear during an initial infection, some may linger or recur a month or more later. Or new ones may develop, lasting for weeks, months or over a year.
Anyone young, old or somewhere in between, may be afflicted with long COVID. Although post-COVID conditions appear to be less common in children and adolescents than in adults, long-term effects do occur in children and adolescents. CDC studies have reported long-term symptoms in children with both mild and severe COVID-19, including children who previously had multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.
Research by the CDC shows that long COVID is more prevalent among those who were hospitalized, but it also strikes a significant portion who were not. People who did not experience COVID-19 symptoms in the days or weeks after they were infected can have post-COVID conditions that may persist for different lengths of time.
Because so many of the symptoms occur with other illnesses, some scientists question whether the coronavirus is always the trigger. Researchers hope their work will provide definitive answers.
The CDC continues to work to identify how common post-COVID conditions are, who is most likely to get them, and why some symptoms eventually improve for some people and may last longer for others. Rapid and multi-year studies are underway to further investigate post-COVID conditions in more detail. These studies will help us better understand post-COVID conditions and how to treat patients with long-term symptoms.
Experiencing post-COVID conditions can be confusing and frustrating, and a person who feels sick long-term may feel isolated. Everyone experiences these conditions differently and may want different types of support, or in some cases, no support at all. To determine the most helpful steps you can take for others, first listen with compassion and ask questions about what they need. The CDC’s How Right Now website provides helpful tools for navigating conversations about the type of support someone with post-COVID conditions may need.
The CDC suggests employers can support their employees experiencing post-COVID conditions by offering flexible leave and work schedule policies, and by providing access to employee assistance programs.
Of course, the best way to avoid long COVID conditions is to do all you can to prevent contracting COVID-19 to begin with. For people who are eligible, getting vaccinated against COVID-19 as soon as you can is the best way to prevent getting COVID-19 and can also help protect those around you.
People who believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should contact their health care provider immediately. If you are ill with flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath, please call your health center or clinic before coming to your appointment. If you are an Eskenazi Health patient, please call 317-880-7666 before coming to your appointment. Health care professionals are available 24/7 to answer questions on symptoms and direct you to the most appropriate care. It is important to first call before arriving at Eskenazi Health.
Nydia Nunez-Estrada, M.D.
Family Medicine Specialist at Eskenazi Health Center North Arlington