Many people recover fully within a few days or weeks after being infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. However, others have symptoms that linger for weeks, months, or even years after their initial diagnosis. Some people seem to recover from COVID-19 but then see their symptoms return, or they develop different symptoms within a few months. Even people who had no symptoms when they were infected can develop them later. Either mild or severe COVID-19 can lead to long-lasting symptoms.
Long COVID, long-haul COVID, post-COVID-19 condition, chronic COVID, and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 are all names for the health problems that some people experience a few months after a COVID-19 diagnosis. Symptoms of long COVID may be the same as or different than symptoms of COVID-19. Long COVID can also trigger other health conditions such as diabetes or kidney disease.
For more information on long COVID, check out these U.S. government resources:
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
- Explore long COVID information, news, and more on the COVID-19 research website.
- Learn about NIH’s RECOVER initiative and find clinical trials on long COVID.
- Read how this NIH-funded RECOVER study developed a new symptom scoring system that will improve future long COVID treatments.
- Read this NHLBI news story about the long COVID risk for pregnant women.
- Read how the RECOVER Initiative made it easier to access long COVID research data.
- Read this NHLBI news story about how obstructive sleep apnea increases risks for long COVID.
- Read this NHLBI news story about how lingering symptoms are common after COVID hospitalization.
- Read how an NIH-funded RECOVER study identified potential long COVID disparities.
- Read this NHLBI news story about how long COVID may be less common in children.
- Read how an NHLBI-funded study found that exercise lags are common after long COVID.
- Read this NIH Director’s Blog post about using artificial intelligence to advance the understanding of long COVID.
- Read this NHLBI news story about how long COVID impacts children.
- Find tips for talking with your healthcare provider about long COVID.
- Check out this fact sheet about caring for people living with post-COVID conditions.
- View this JAMA article about an NIH RECOVER-funded study on long COVID in Children and Adolescents.
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RECOVER Research Review (R3) Seminar Series
The NIH RECOVER initiative’s R3 Seminar Series promotes a shared understanding of the scientific research on Long COVID. This forum speeds up discovery by allowing experts to
