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 people, symptoms can last longer. This is called long COVID or post COVID-19 syndrome. Long COVID is a new condition which is still being studied.

Symptoms of long COVID

The most common symptoms of long COVID are:

• extreme tiredness (fatigue)
• feeling short of breath
• loss of smell
• 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
• 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

Getting a referral to a long COVID service

The GP will ask about your symptoms and the impact they're having on your life. They may suggest some tests to find out more about your symptoms and rule out other things that could be causing them. These might include:

• blood tests
• checking your blood pressure and heart rate
• a chest X-ray
• measuring your oxygen levels

The GP will talk to you about the care and support you might need. You may be given advice about how to manage and monitor your symptoms at home.

If the symptoms are having a big impact on your life, you may be referred to a specialist service, rehabilitation service or a service that specialises in the specific symptoms you have.

These services can help manage your symptoms and help you recover. If you have mental health symptoms, such as anxiety or depression, find out how you can access NHS mental health support services.

How long does it take to recover?

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

Recovering from long COVID

Recovery from long COVID varies. Some symptoms can improve quickly and others 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.