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Post-COVID Conditions (Long COVID)
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Infections

Post-COVID Conditions (Long COVID)

While many recover from COVID-19 within weeks, others face lingering or new symptoms that can last for months or years, a condition known as post-COVID conditions or long COVID.

Overview

COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is an illness caused by a virus. While many people get better within a few days or weeks after infection, others develop post-COVID conditions. These conditions may present in the following ways:

  • Symptoms that linger for weeks, months, or even years
  • Apparent recovery from COVID-19 followed by the return of symptoms
  • Development of new symptoms or health conditions within a few months of having COVID-19

Post-COVID conditions are known by several other names, including long COVID, long-haul COVID, long-term effects of COVID, chronic COVID, post-acute COVID-19, and post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 (PASC).

Risk Factors

Anyone who had COVID-19, whether the illness was severe or mild, can experience long-lasting symptoms. However, the risk of developing post-COVID conditions is higher if you:

  • Had severe COVID-19 illness, especially if you were hospitalized or needed intensive care
  • Had underlying health conditions before getting COVID-19
  • Did not get a COVID-19 vaccine
  • Had multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) during or after COVID-19, a rare but serious condition in which different body parts become inflamed

Symptoms

Post-COVID conditions do not affect everyone the same way. They can cause various types and combinations of symptoms that impact different parts of the body, including:

  • General symptoms: Fatigue and fever
  • Respiratory symptoms: Trouble breathing and cough
  • Heart symptoms: Chest pain and palpitations
  • Neurologic symptoms: Trouble thinking and concentrating ("brain fog"), headaches, and sleep problems
  • Digestive symptoms: Diarrhea and stomach pain

Some individuals may experience a wide variety of symptoms similar to those of other conditions, such as myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). While most people's symptoms slowly improve over time, for some, they can last weeks, months, or longer. In some cases, the symptoms are severe enough to result in disability.

Diagnosis

There is no specific test for post-COVID conditions. To determine if you have a post-COVID condition, your provider will typically:

  • Ask about your medical history, including whether you have had a diagnosis of COVID-19 based on a positive test, symptoms, or exposure
  • Perform a physical exam
  • Order blood and imaging tests

Diagnosis can sometimes take time because some symptoms are hard to explain, and blood and imaging test results may be normal. Additionally, people with unexplained symptoms may sometimes be misunderstood by their providers.

Treatment & Management

There is no specific treatment for post-COVID conditions yet. You and your provider can work together to create a personal care plan to manage your symptoms and improve your quality of life.

Prevention

The best way to prevent post-COVID conditions is to avoid getting COVID-19. Staying up to date with vaccines (including boosters) against COVID-19 can help prevent infection and protect against severe illness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Long COVID, or post-COVID conditions, is generally defined as symptoms that persist for at least four weeks after the initial SARS-CoV-2 infection. These symptoms may be new or a continuation of previous symptoms and can last for months or even years. The condition is not limited to those who had severe initial illness; it can occur in individuals who had mild or even asymptomatic cases.
The most frequently reported symptoms include persistent fatigue, shortness of breath, and cognitive difficulties often described as "brain fog." Other common issues include chest pain, palpitations, sleep disturbances, and gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea or abdominal pain. Symptoms can fluctuate in intensity and may worsen with physical or mental exertion, a phenomenon known as post-exertional malaise.
While anyone who has had COVID-19 is at risk, the likelihood is higher for individuals who experienced severe acute illness, particularly those who required hospitalization or intensive care. Other risk factors include having pre-existing chronic health conditions, not being vaccinated against COVID-19, and experiencing multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS) during or after the infection.
Management often requires a multidisciplinary approach because symptoms can affect multiple body systems. Primary care physicians usually coordinate care, but patients may also see pulmonologists for breathing issues, cardiologists for heart palpitations or chest pain, neurologists for cognitive or nerve-related symptoms, and gastroenterologists for digestive complaints. Physical and occupational therapists may also be involved to help manage fatigue and functional limitations.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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