What symptoms do patients have after Post COVID-19 condition?

According to the latest WHO COVID-19 data, globally, as of 5:51 p.m. CET on August 25, 2022, there were 596,119,505 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 6,457,101 deaths. The number of vaccinations administered exceeded 12,409,086,286 doses.

Most people infected with COVID-19 will recover completely, but current evidence suggests that approximately 10-20% of people will experience varying degrees of other symptoms after recovering from their initial illness. This condition in which symptoms occur even after COVID-19 has been cured is called the Post COVID-19 condition (or long COVID).

The Post COVID-19 condition is a new, recurrent, or ongoing health problem that occurs 4 weeks or more after the initial infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. Symptoms persist for at least 2 months and cannot be explained by another diagnosis. Common symptoms include, but are not limited to, fatigue, shortness of breath, and cognitive dysfunction, which generally have an impact on daily functioning.

What are the common symptoms of Post-COVID Condition?

After infection with SARS-CoV-2 virus, most patients will recover, but there are still some patients who are in the post-COVID condition.

Common LONG COVID-19 symptoms include

General symptoms

- Tiredness or fatigue that interferes with daily life

- Exacerbation of symptoms after physical or mental exertion (also called "post-exertional malaise")

- Fever

Respiratory and cardiac symptoms

- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

- Coughing

- Chest pain

- Rapidly beating or pounding heart (also called palpitations)

Neurological symptoms

- Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes called "brain fog")

- Headaches

- Sleep problems

- Dizziness when standing (lightheadedness)

- Pins and needles sensation

- Changes in odor or taste

- Depression or anxiety

Digestive system symptoms

- Diarrhea

- Stomach pain

Other symptoms

- Joint or muscle pain

- Skin rash

- Changes in menstrual cycle

The symptoms that appear and their severity vary from person to person, but fatigue is by far the most common symptom, according to relevant studies.

Because the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been around for a short time, most studies of long-term symptoms are also in the early stages. Therefore, what the post COVID-19 condition means for patients and whether they are permanent or not, this still needs further investigation and research.

However, we can confirm that the post COVID-19 condition is not contagious, and that Long COVID is a symptom of infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. If you are not infected with the Sars-CoV-2 virus, then you will not experience these symptoms.