Post-COVID-19

In the context of an illness with the new corona virus SARS-CoV-2 it can come to very different and partly longer lasting symptoms as well as health consequences.

These are referred to by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "post-COVID-19 condition."

The terms "post-COVID-19 condition," "long-COVID," or even "chronic COVID syndrome" are used interchangeably. For simplicity, the term "post-COVID-19" will be used hereafter.

The WHO speaks of post-COVID-19 disease when

• symptoms persist three months after a confirmed or probable infection with the coronavirus
• the symptoms have persisted for at least two months and
• these cannot be explained by another diagnosis.

The following symptoms are common in post-COVID-19:

- Excessive fatigue and exhaustion

- Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing

- Impaired thinking performance

- Neurological disorders

- Headache

- Cough

- Loss of sense of smell and taste

- Insomnia

- Muscle fatigue / muscle pain

- Chest pain

- Skin rashes

- Discomfort after physical exertion

The list is not exhaustive. The most common are fatigue, shortness of breath, and respiratory problems, as well as impaired thinking ability and neurological disorders.

The severity and duration of symptoms can vary greatly from individual to individual and fortunately in the vast majority of cases subside over time.