What Is Long Covid?
At the moment, the WHO do not have a finalised clinical definition of Long Covid, however Long Covid has been characterised as a "prolonged condition with multi-system involvement and significant disability with an episodic or fluctuating nature". This means that Long Covid is a long term condition with disabiling symptoms that come and go. (We don't yet know how long symptoms last for)
In the UK, The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) include two conditions within the umbrella of Long Covid.
Ongoing symptomatic COVID-19
Persistent signs and symptoms of COVID-19 from 4 to 12 weeks
Post-COVID-19 syndrome
Persistent signs and symptoms that develop during or after an infection consistent with COVID-19, continue for more than 12 weeks and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis.
Long Covid is a patient-led term used to describe the long-lasting effects of Covid-19 infection. In the USA Long Covid is called PACS Post Acute Covid Syndrome. In the UK NICE released its 'living' guidelines using the name Post Covid Syndrome, this name is rarely ever used by people living with Long Coivd becaue it makes no sense to the people living with Long Covid. However, the 3 stages defined by NICE are referd to by doctors. In the UK any adult or child with ongoing symptoms of more than 4 weeks is eligable for a referal to a Long Covid clinic/hub.
Acute Covid-19 Infection
Signs and symptoms of COVID-19 for up to 4 weeks.
Ongoing Symptomatic Covid-19
Signs and symptoms of COVID-19 from 4 weeks up to 12 weeks
Post Covid Syndrome
Signs and symptoms that develop during or following an infection consistent with COVID-19, continue for more than 12 weeks and are not explained by an alternative diagnosis.
Long Covid Kids
Symptom Prevalence
Our initial rapid survey was completed before Long Covid was recognised in children; to provide early evidence of Long Covid symptom prevalence and aid our calls for paediatric Long Covid clinics.
Please see the research page for the latest paediatric research from around the globe that supports our initial findings.
We don't yet know which children will get Long Covid, or if there is a way to prevent it after Covid infection. It is reported that many children recover fully from Covid. However, up to 14% of children sadly go on to develop Long Covid. Which is the term used to describe symptoms that last more than 4 weeks.
In the UK any child that has symptoms for more than 4 weeks is eligible for a referral to an NHS Long Covid Hub. To obtain an oppointment children must be refered to the Hub by their GP.
We yet don't know how long it takes for children to get better from Long Covid, or what casues it.
Many children are still ill from the first and second waves of COVID-19.
Please see our statistics page for up to date data.