What is long COVID?

Long COVID is the name given to the long-term symptoms that some people get after having COVID-19. It's also called 'post-COVID-19 condition' or 'post-acute sequelae of COVID-19' (PASC).

Long COVID is a chronic (ongoing) condition that can affect many body systems. People with long COVID often have varied symptoms.

Most people recover from COVID-19 after a few days or weeks. But with long COVID, you may have symptoms for weeks or months.

Long COVID affects people of all ages. You can develop it even if your COVID-19 infection was mild.

Having long COVID can affect your ability to live your life normally and do your usual daily activities.

Health experts are still learning about this condition.

What are the symptoms of long COVID?

Your long COVID symptoms may:

• range from mild to severe
• be ongoing or only happen sometimes
• change or get worse

You may have one symptom or lots of symptoms of long COVID. So far, more than 200 symptoms of long COVID-19 have been reported. The most often reported symptoms are listed below.

General symptoms of long COVID are:

• fatigue (tiredness)
• weakness
• post-exertional malaise (worsening of symptoms after physical or mental activity)
• rash
• hair loss
• pain

Respiratory (lung) symptoms of long COVID are:

• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• ongoing cough
• chest pain or discomfort

Cardiovascular (heart) symptoms of long COVID are:

• chest tightness
• heart palpitations
• symptoms of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)

Neurological (nervous system) symptoms of long COVID are:

• memory loss
• difficulty concentrating or brain fog
• loss of smell or taste
• headaches

Gastrointestinal (stomach and bowel) symptoms of long COVID are:

• symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
• diarrhoea
• constipation
• abdominal (tummy) pain
• nausea and vomiting
• heartburn

Muscle and bone symptoms of long COVID are:

• muscle pain
• muscle weakness

Mental health symptoms of long COVID are:

• anxiety
• depression
• insomnia (sleep problems)
• symptoms of psychosis

Other symptoms:

• kidney problems

CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help.

What causes long COVID?

It's not fully understood what causes long COVID.

Research suggests that long COVID is caused by SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19) staying in your body after you are infected with COVID-19. This may cause your immune system to stop working normally.

Some things that can make it more likely that you'll get long COVID are:

• being older age
• being female
• having a culturally and linguistically diverse background
• overweight or underweight
• being treated for COVID-19 in hospital
• having other conditions — including anxiety, depression, asthma, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes or problems with your immune system
• having heart problems — such as high blood pressure, coronary heart disease or heart failure

When should I see my doctor?

You should see your doctor if you've had symptoms of COVID-19 for 4 weeks or more and you are worried.

Get urgent medical attention if you have any new symptoms, such as:

• sudden chest pain or tightness
• difficulty breathing
• confusion
• seizures
• fainting or collapse
• rapid heart rate that doesn't settle with rest
• worsening anxiety or mood, or thoughts of harming yourself

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

How is long COVID diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and your medical history. They may also examine you and check your blood pressure and heart rate.

Your doctor may arrange tests, such as:

• blood tests
• exercise tests — including a one-minute sit-to-stand test
• x-rays
• lung function tests
• an electrocardiogram (ECG)

There is no one test that can be used to diagnose long COVID.

ASK YOUR DOCTOR — Preparing for an appointment? Use the Question Builder for general tips on what to ask your GP or specialist.

How is long COVID treated?

There isn't one single treatment for long COVID.

Your doctor can explain how to look after yourself and what to expect as you get better. You may want to book regular appointments with your doctor. This will give you a chance to talk about your symptoms and how best to manage them.

If your symptoms are impacting your life, your doctor may refer you to a specialist or allied health professional.

Depending on your symptoms, this may include:

• a respiratory specialist (a doctor who specialises in lungs and breathing)
• a cardiologist (a heart doctor)
• a physiotherapist
• an occupational therapist
• a dietitian
• a speech pathologist
• a psychologist

If needed, your doctor can organise a:

• Mental Health Treatment Plan
• Chronic Disease Management Plan

These plans can help you get Medicare-subsidised allied health services.

Self-care at home

Here are some things you can do to help your body fight the illness and get better more quickly:

• Eat a healthy diet.
• Stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of fluids.
• Keep your social connections — reach out to family and friends.
• Practise mindfulness techniques, such as breathing exercises and meditation.
• Quit smoking or vaping.
• Reduce how much alcohol you drink.

There are currently no recommended medicines for the treatment of long COVID.

Other treatment options

Some treatments that are showing positive results for people with long COVID are:

• physical activity
• inspiratory muscle training and pulmonary rehabilitation (types of breathing exercises)
• hyperbaric oxygen therapy
• physical and mental health rehabilitation programs

You may need an individual approach to exercise. This is especially true if you experience post-exertional malaise (your symptoms get worse after physical or mental exertion).

Living with long COVID

It's important to connect with the right healthcare professionals, who can help you manage your condition. Your doctor will help you create a plan to monitor and manage your symptoms.

Most people with long COVID will improve over time.

Managing your symptoms

Long COVID may cause you to feel weak and tired after just a small amount of physical activity. You may also struggle to concentrate and process information as usual.

To manage these symptoms, follow the 3 Ps — pace, plan, prioritise.

1. Pace — save your energy by breaking up your daily activities into smaller, more manageable tasks. Rest often.
2. Plan — spread activities that need more energy, such as gardening, food shopping and laundry, across the whole week. Plan for plenty of rest in between these tasks. If you can, ask family members or friends to help you. Consider other options like grocery delivery services.
3. Prioritise — only do essential tasks and activities. If you can, ask a family member or friend to help with these tasks.

Returning to work

Long COVID may affect your ability to work as usual. It's important to talk with your employer about your workload.

Some things you may want to talk about are:

• a phased return to work — slowly increasing your hours over time
• a flexible working arrangement — this might be working when you have more energy, reducing your hours, or working from home
• reviewing your work responsibilities and delegating tasks to other members of your team
• options for changing roles within your organisation if you can't do your role

These changes can help to make sure that work is not causing you to become more unwell.

What are the complications of long COVID?

Common complications of long COVID are:

• anxiety
• depression
• post-traumatic stress disorder

These complications may be from having long COVID or the stress of having a chronic illness.

Your doctor can refer you to a psychologist or suggest medicines to help manage your symptoms.

Can long COVID be prevented?

The best way to prevent long COVID is to protect yourself against COVID-19. You can do this by:

• staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccinations
• wearing a mask
• practicing good hygiene and hand washing
• physical distancing

Physical distancing means:

• keeping 1.5 metres away from others when possible
• avoiding handshaking, hugs, kisses and other physical greetings
• avoiding crowds and large gatherings

Use our guided search feature to find a COVID-19 vaccine clinic near you.

Resources and support

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has a post-COVID-19 symptoms diary. Filling this out will help you and your doctor keep track of your symptoms.

Download the Lung Foundation Australia's booklet — Understanding long COVID — with information to help you navigate your long COVID journey.

Speak with your doctor about attending a long COVID-19 program or clinic in your area.

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Other languages

Health Translations Victoria has a factsheet on long COVID and a video you can watch in English and other languages.