Long Covid information

For some people, Covid-19 can cause symptoms that last weeks or months after the infection has gone. This is sometimes called post-Covid-19 syndrome or "Long Covid".

How long it takes to recover from COVID-19 is different for everybody.

Many people feel better in a few days or weeks and most will make a full recovery within 12 weeks. But for some people, symptoms can last longer.

The chances of having long-term symptoms does not seem to be linked to how ill you are when you first get COVID-19.

People who had mild symptoms at first can still have long-term problems.

 

Symptoms of Long Covid

Common Long Covid symptoms include:

  • extreme tiredness (fatigue)
  • shortness of breath
  • chest pain or tightness
  • problems with memory and concentration ("brain fog")
  • difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
  • heart palpitations
  • dizziness
  • pins and needles
  • joint pain
  • depression and anxiety
  • tinnitus, earaches
  • feeling sick, diarrhoea, stomach aches, loss of appetite
  • a high temperature, cough, headaches, sore throat, changes to sense of smell or taste
  • rashes

 

How to get help

If you're worried about symptoms 4 weeks or more after having Covid-19, please contact your GP.

We now have a Long Covid Assessment Hub based in Liverpool that GPs can refer patients to for further support and treatment.

Find out more about Long Covid on the NHS website here.