The Coronavirus pandemic is winding down, but we are still suffering from the consequences of a virus we don’t know much about. Long COVID is affecting a large portion of the population, and we still don’t know exactly what the long-term effects are. What is long COVID, what are the symptoms we currently know, and what could be the lasting effects?
Long COVID, also called post-COVID syndrome, is when a person suffers from COVID for an extended period. The timeline is different for everyone, and there are a lot of unknown risk factors when it comes to long COVID. It can lead to a lot of health problems that have to do with organ health.
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Symptoms of Long COVID
The symptoms of long COVID are similar to normal COVID-19 symptoms, but they last a lot longer. The people who develop long COVID are called “long haulers.” These symptoms qualify if they last for more than four weeks.
Common symptoms that linger over time are things like fatigue, joint pain, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, cough, chest pain, depression or anxiety, sleep problems, muscle pain or headache, fast pounding heart, loss of taste or smell, plus many more possible symptoms.
Effects on Organs
While coronavirus is largely a disease that affects the lungs, it can damage the heart, kidneys, and brain. The Mayo Clinic says, “In some people, lasting health effects may include long-term breathing problems, heart complications, chronic kidney impairment, stroke and Guillain-Barre syndrome — a condition that causes temporary paralysis.”
Lots of Unknowns
The truth is we do not know the full lasting effects of the post COVID conditions that many of us are still living with. That being said, there is a lot of ongoing research on this condition. Long COVID is a serious condition that could have lasting effects, and that is why it is so important to get your COVID-19 vaccination and to wear masks. Getting vaccinated greatly decreases the risk of developing long COVID.
Stay Safe!
Long COVID is a condition that can cause damage to the brain, lungs, heart, and kidneys. There is a long list of symptoms that can last for a long time. Because we don’t know much about it, the best course of action is to get vaccinated to avoid the harsher symptoms of COVID-19.
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