Long Covid can have the same effect on quality of life as Parkinson’s, chronic diseases

When most people think of Covid now, they picture a short illness like a cold – a few days of fever, sore throat or cough before getting better.

But for many, the story doesn’t end there. Long Covid – defined by the World Health Organization as symptoms lasting at least three months after infection – has become a lasting part of the pandemic.

Most research has focused on describing symptoms – such as fatigue, brain fog and breathlessness. But we know less about their effect on daily life, and this hasn’t been well studied in Australia. That’s where our new study, published today, comes in.

We show long Covid isn’t just uncomfortable or inconvenient. People with the condition told us it can profoundly limit their daily life and stop them from doing what they want to do, and need to do.

What is long Covid

Long Covid affects about 6% of people with Covid, with more than 200 symptoms recorded. For some, it lasts a few months. For “long haulers” it stretches into years.

The size of the problem is hard to measure, because symptoms vary from person to person. This has led to debate about what long Covid really is, what causes it, and even whether it’s real.

But mounting evidence shows long Covid is very real and serious. Studies confirm it reduces quality...

Read more